


Reflections of the Past

by thequidditchpitch_archivist



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst, Dark, Drama, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-12-09
Updated: 2007-01-04
Packaged: 2018-10-27 10:46:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 24,947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10807533
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thequidditchpitch_archivist/pseuds/thequidditchpitch_archivist
Summary: Ron reminisces of the past between him and Harry, and also how close they came to the Dark Lord.





	1. The Night That Was

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Annie, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [The Quidditch Pitch](http://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Quidditch_Pitch), which went offline in 2015 when the hosting expired, at a time I was not able to renew it. I contacted Open Doors, hoping to preserve the archive using an old backup, and began importing these works as an Open Doors-approved project in April 2017. Open Doors e-mailed all authors about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact us using the e-mail address on [The Quidditch Pitch collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/thequidditchpitch/profile).

A red dawn. There is nothing more beautiful than seeing the sky painted a mixture of crimson and violet. The forthcoming sunrise will be breathtaking along the ocean's horizon. The ocean breeze blows his red hair back as the smell of salt water fills his nostrils. Clearly, he hears the peaceful waves crashing gingerly onto the beach. Ah yes, this reminds the red haired young man of a morning just a few years ago when it was all over. A red dawn. "Bloody hell! Damn at all of the memories that comes back to me like a flood. Could it really have all happened just a few years ago? Merlin, how it only feels like it was yesterday!“ Damn it how those feelings still echoed through his body. The fear, the panic, the unknown, and yet still the love. These thoughts made Ron cringe and shiver a bit as he stood by the edge of his patio and stared off into the ocean's waves. He swallowed another sip of his coffee. "Bloody hell!" 

 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 

On the night he almost died at the hands of his best mate, Ron was sleeping soundly with dreams of Quidditch zooming through his mind. He could hear the crowds now. The cheers for the Gryffindor team and for every save he would make. It was a good dream, and like all good dreams seems to be interrupted by something from the outside world. Ron opened his eyes as a hazy figure stood over him. Slowly things came into focus, but before he could say anything, a hand shot over his mouth. 

 

"Not one word or I'll kill you." 

 

It was Harry, but how could this person be Harry? Ron felt the tip of an object against his neck and knew instantly it was Harry's wand. Panic flew through him. He looked up at the bright, green eyes of Harry's that showed pure evil. Tears started to stream down Ron's cheeks as he looked into the face of his best mate. Surely, Harry would not kill him. After all of the fun times they have been through, all the times they got detention, all of the adventures they had together; it just couldn't end like this. This was not the way it was supposed to be. The best friend he ever had, the best friend he ever knew, could not be this shadow of a murderer standing over him. 

 

"I never meant to hurt anyone! You don't know how hard it is to try to resist. He calls to me to come to him. I hear him in my dreams! It is as if he's living inside my soul. I'm sorry but you just don't understand, Ron!" he growled. 

 

Harry was breathing heavily and prodded the tip of his wand deeper into the side of Ron's neck. A rage of anger engulfed Harry as he screamed with fury and hatred in his voice. The hand over Ron's mouth tightened its grip even more. The gleam in Harry's eyes became sinister. Fearing the worst, Ron closed his eyes and said a silent goodbye to all that he loved. The vice-like grip on his mouth began to loosen a bit. Ron opened his eyes and saw Harry start to back away. He turned and fled out of their dormitory and through the Gryffindor common room. 

 

"Harry, wait!" Ron shouted. 

 

The shouts fell upon deaf ears as Harry was quickly out the portrait hole. Ron jumped to his feet and hurried after him. His shouts inside the castle awakened Professor McGonagall who flung open the door to her room and shouted at Ron. 

 

"Merlin's beard, Weasley! You will wake the dead with your shouting. What is this all about? Why are you out of your dormitory at this time of night?"

  
"It's Harry, Professor. He's trying to run away!"

  
"Oh no. It's not safe for him to be outside of Hogwarts in his condition. Quickly, Mr. Weasley after him! Albus, Albus!" In a flash the headmaster was quickly outside and chasing after Harry. 

 

The young Gryffindor ran towards the Forbidden Forest with blazing speed with Ron at his heels. 

 

"Harry, Harry!" Ron yelled at him.  
  


"Step aside, Mr. Weasley." 

 

Professor McGonagall nudged Ron to her side and out of the firing zone. She fired two hexes of Locomotor Mortis at Harry. With the training from his Quidditch skills, Harry dodged and avoided both hexes that were aimed at him. Like the blackness of the night, Harry disappeared as he ran into the Forbidden Forest. Professor Dumbledore stopped at the edge of the forest while Ron and Professor McGonagall arrived behind him; both heaving deep breaths of air. 

 

"The both of you will not enter." ordered Dumbledore. "I must do this alone. You both return back to the castle and send an urgent owl to the Ministry of Magic explaining to them what has happened here tonight. I promise you I will return." 

 

"Please, Sir!" cried Ron between breaths. “Let me go with you.” 

 

"Not to worry, Mr. Weasley, I will return with Harry." 

 

Ron saw the warm glow of care in Dumbledore's eyes, but also the slightest look of caution on his face. "I think I know where Harry is going. I only hope that I am not too late," spoke the aged wizard. He turned from them and walked as darkness swallowed him.


	2. Heart of the Night

**Chapter 2: Heart of the Night**

Concentrating on the thoughts in his mind, Dumbledore walked a familiar path within the Forbidden Forest. He knew the situation that Harry was in posed a great danger to everyone. With Harry being so confused and volatile, he had to approach this with the greatest care that he possibly could. Surely, he of all people should have seen the radical changes that were occurring within Harry. Alas, however, he had barely the time to see much of anything, as he had been so busy traveling back and forth from Hogwarts to the Ministry of Magic in London. It seemed every effort to convince the Ministry of Voldemort's return had been brushed aside. He knew that in order to fight this war, all would have to unite to stand a chance. In a sense, Dumbledore knew that he had failed himself and Harry by not being there when Harry needed him the most. Now it appeared that Voldemort was ever so close to gaining a major achievement with his dark plans. He had to thwart these plans, for if he failed tonight, darkness will surely be one-step closer to ruling the wizarding world. All of this flashed through the great wizard's mind as he walked down the path. Seconds felt like minutes, minutes seemed like hours. The wizard's instincts told him he was on the right path. Very soon he came upon a fork in the path. Stopping at this, Dumbledore listened closely. Many different sounds came to him from the depths of the forest. Most of them he knew very well, so fear did not enter his mind. However, there were a few new sounds. With these sounds reaching him, he smiled a bit. Then one particular sound came to his ears. A sound that he had been expecting to hear. Quickly he looked to his right, beyond the maze of trees and undergrowth. 

"Ah, of course. I should have remembered," said the aged wizard. 

He then set off on a walk to his right that would take him deep into the heart of the black forest. What slight moonlight that was able to shine through sneaked its way between the trees. Soon it was blotted out, as the forest grew thicker and even blacker. The trees became the height of giants and towered over everything. Dumbledore knew he was getting close and continued walking. His every thought set on determination to reach Harry before it was too late. 

The headmaster's instincts were soon proved correct as he came upon a cave. The great wizard knew the cave all too well. Barely visibly burned into the rock above the entrance was the symbol of a serpent. 

Quickly the sands of time rushed back some fifty years ago to a much younger Albus Dumbledore and to a seventeen-year-old student named Tom Riddle. He had known that Tom was sneaking out of the castle at night and coming to this place to meet with fellow students; his future Death Eaters. Being the great wizard that he is today, the intelligent professor could not bring himself to accuse and report Tom Riddle for doing this. For when questioned about the young wizard's actions, the response would always be the same. No harm was being done. This much was true. For the true harm was still off in the future. Only the seeds were being planted right here now. For, like Harry, Tom Riddle would not be detained by rules or regulations. Both were too powerful and destined for history. 

Upon entering the cave, the air was damp and heavy. In the darkness, Dumbledore could hear sobs and burst of anger echoing from a distance ahead. 

_"Lumos."_

With this charm, the headmaster's wand emitted a low glow that filled a small, circular room. Dumbledore paused as he entered the room and stood there looking at Harry. The young wizard was crouched against the far wall of the room. He was still sobbing slightly and muttering uncontrollable anger under his breath. Reacting quickly, Harry looked up and pulled his wand out; ever so ready to send a spell flying into Dumbledore. With eyes blazing forth a green fire within them, Harry's mouth formed a sneer of pure evil. 

"Get out!" he screamed to Dumbledore. 

"Harry," calmly spoken by Dumbledore. 

The headmaster took a step forward while saying this. In reaction, Harry took a step back towards a rock formation at the back of the room. 

"Don't take another step! I will kill you!" sneered Harry. 

"Nonsense, Harry," said Dumbledore, as he took another step in Harry's direction. 

A bolt of red light soared out of Harry's wand and scorched the earth a mere few inches in front of Dumbledore. Unaffected by these actions, Dumbledore continued to speak in a low and calm tone. 

"Harry, I can help you. I am so sorry for not being there earlier to help, but I am here now. It isn't too late. Please, just lower your wand and come back with me." 

"Never! I'll never go back to that castle again," Harry said angrily. 

"Harry, we all care for you. I do know for a fact that Mr. Weasley deeply cares for your well being." 

"Liar!" Harry yelled as another bolt of red blaze shot out of his wand and left a scorch mark on the cave wall to Dumbledore's side. 

Harry stood to his feet. His wand now aimed precisely at Dumbledore's chest. 

"Next time I will not miss," Harry warned. 

An evil smile broke across Harry's face that sent a chill to the headmaster's heart. He knew this look on Harry's face was the same exact look on Tom Riddle's arrogant sneer fifty years ago. Pushing aside the past, Dumbledore spoke. 

"Please Harry, we can overcome this and purge Voldemort from your mind. All of your friends are so terribly worried about you." 

Upon hearing this, Harry turned his back to Dumbledore and stared at the cave wall in front of him. By the glow from Dumbledore's wand, Harry could see a spider stalking a fly that had become entangled in its sticky web. A low chuckle escaped from Harry as he watched this scene unfold; totally ignoring the wizard's pleas behind him. 

A hissing, snake-like voice arose within Harry's lungs as he slowly turned his head and looked at Dumbledore over his shoulder. 

“Friends? I have no friends, foolish old man!" said the Parselmouth voice. 

With this, Harry wheeled about as another red flash exploded from his wand. Dumbledore, sensing this, conjured a shield charm to block the curse with ease. 

"No, Harry, you will not kill me or anyone tonight. None of this is your fault. Not all of this is of your doing. I know deep inside there is the true Harry Potter. The true Gryffindor. You have to learn to fight this but you can only win this battle if you come with me. Please, come with me!" 

The wise wizard extends his hand and holds it in midair for Harry. 

Shocked and bewildered by these actions, Harry is speechless. He looks down at the rubble of rock on the ground and then looks back to the blue eyes of his headmaster. They are full of determination as they are dead-set and locked onto Harry's face. 

“Oh, Professor!" Harry cries. "It’s so difficult to do. So hard to think right." 

"I know Harry, I do know. Trust me, it is the right decision. Come let us go and leave this place of dark powers and history." 

Succumbing to these words, Harry lowers his wand and starts to walk towards Dumbledore. After taking a few steps in silence, Harry stops and looks across the room to Dumbledore. With his green eyes ablaze again, Harry speaks very strongly. 

"No one will die tonight...except me!" 

Harry places his wand to his neck as Dumbledore looks on in horror and shock. 

_"Avada-"_

_"Expelliarmus!"_

The words echoed throughout the cave. 

Blinded by a great flash of white light, Harry is thrown backwards against the cave wall; rendering him totally unconscious. Dumbledore walks over and kneels beside his student. Blood starts to trickle down Harry's head and onto the side of his face. The headmaster places his hand on the young wizard's forehead and whispers. 

“I am so sorry, Harry. You know that I would never harm you." 

Accessing his situation, he carefully scoops up Harry and carries him out of the cave in his arms. Meanwhile, Harry plummets away into a cold darkened state. Somehow, his mind is consciously aware of the visions of his past. It is the last thing he remembers before waking up in the hospital wing at Hogwarts.


	3. A Secret Revealed

**Chapter 3: A Secret Revealed**

_“Why, Harry? Damn it! Why couldn't you have told someone about what you were going through? We were all there for you, but none of us knew how to help you unless you would open up to us. You could have at least told me. I mean me, Ronald Weasley, your best friend. Merlin's Beard, Harry! Sometimes you were the most difficult person in the world to understand. Yeah, those were confusing and difficult times but still, I would have listened to you. However, you knew that I could see right through your attempts to cover up your true feelings when you were hiding something. Best friends can do that, mate. You had to go and try to do it all by yourself, didn't you? Oh, Harry!”_

Ron was out in the balcony outside his bedroom, looking out at the vast horizon, lost in his own thoughts of the downward spiral of his best friend. He raised his cup of coffee to his lips and tasted its harsh, cold bitterness. How long had he been here thinking of all this? A quick glance at the clock beside his bed answered his question. One hour had passed since he had woken up and began to remember again _that_ difficult part of his past. He hated it when his mind would wander back to those years. It always left Ron with a cold and uneasy feeling, as if it was all just a bad dream. He knew they had come close, far too close, to the powers of Voldemort. Seeing that his coffee would not reheat itself, Ron made his way back through his bedroom and walked downstairs to his kitchen. There he pours himself another cup of fresh coffee and tries to shake away the cobwebs of the past. Gazing out of the window, he looks at a great ball of fire that has just risen and sits on top of the ocean waves. This moment takes Ron away back to a time when he lived at the Burrow. Away to a time when he first knew that, he was falling in love with Harry Potter. So vivid, so lively, this feeling was. Yet, so unaware of the dangers that would surround them later in their lives. 

_“Famous, Harry Potter! Renowned wizard all throughout the wizarding world. Youngest seeker and best Quidditch player Hogwarts has seen in many years. The Boy Who Lived! Most importantly...my best friend. My soul mate for life. It seems like we have always had a common bond between us. I can still remember the first time I ever did see you. It was at Platform Nine-and-Three-Quarters. We were in line to go through the barrier to catch the train to Hogwarts. You looked about as apprehensive and nervous as I was, which was a relief for me to see, that I wasn’t the only one like that. Beyond all the jitters and nerves, I saw something in you that day. Something very special. Little did I know that you were the great and famous Harry Potter. Our first time on the Hogwarts Express was amazing. Remember we shared a compartment together? Finally, I had found a friend. Growing up with older brothers was difficult to do. Not only did I have their reputations to live up to but I also was picked and teased a lot, especially by Fred and George. Yet somehow being with you and talking with you made me forget about all that. You truly were my angel that was sent to me. The happiness that I saw on your smile and the joy within your laughter really set you apart from all the other people. Within you Harry, I had found peace and harmony._

_“During the summer months, I would invite you over because I could not stand the thought of you being alone and having to stay with the Dursleys. However did you manage to live with them? I would have gone bloody crazy on the first day! Every night that you were here, I would wonder what it would be like to be held in your arms as you slept next to me. What was going through your mind as you were dreaming? Lying beside you, I would listen to your soft breathing, as you were asleep. I had hoped that it was me you were dreaming about. Oh, how I wanted so much to hold you then._

_“I can still picture all the times we would fly around the Burrow on our broomsticks. I can also recall the very first time I started to fall in love with you. We had just come back from Diagon Alley. Mum and Dad had taken us there to purchase our schoolbooks and materials for the coming term. You told me to wait, as you wanted to get me a surprise. I watched as you went into Quality Quidditch Supplies and came back out with a package in your arm. It was a Quaffle for us to toss around when we rode our broomsticks.”_

Ron smiled and laughed a bit at the forthcoming thoughts. It pleased him to know there was still happiness with these memories as the dark times drew closer. 

_“When we got back we immediately jumped on our broomsticks before Mum could give us any work to do in the garden. We had the Quaffle and were tossing it back and forth in flight; somewhat like our own Quidditch match. Then it happened by accident, pure luck, or fate. I dropped the Quaffle, after you made a pass at me, and it landed right on the head of a garden gnome. It had just been thrown out of the garden by Fred and George and was not in a very good mood. The ugly blighter looked up at me and raised its little fist at me. He thought I had purposely hit him on his head. Had I known he was there I would have hit him so hard he would be seeing doubles of every bloody thing that moved! He would have been in worse shape than Errol! Then the damn gnome grabbed the Quaffle and ran with it. We tried to swoop down and get it without having to land and chase the brute down. Giving up on the first idea, we both landed and chased him all the way to the hill behind the Burrow. Naturally, the sight of us chasing a garden gnome with our Quaffle was all too much for Fred and George. They were laughing their heads off like a pair of drunken sheep! Stupid gits! Jeez, we were so clumsy back then. Why didn't we just hex the thing instead of chasing it?”_

‘Because it was meant to happen this way. Fate's uncontrollable intervention can come in all sort of ways,’ a voice answered him back.

Ron smiled and took a sip of his coffee before it started to get cold again. 

_“The gnome was even quicker as we chased him on foot. Finally, he threw the Quaffle away. It rolled down the side of the hill. Like two idiots, we kept chasing a rolling Quaffle only to wind up tripping over a log that was hidden in the grass. So instead of chasing after it, we were rolling downhill after it. I was the first to land at the bottom, right beside the Quaffle. Then you came rolling and screaming down the hill, only to land right on top of me. Bloody hell, you nearly squeezed my guts out of me then! However, I would not have traded those few moments for anything in the world. It was then in those few seconds of awkward silence that I fell in love with you. The warm and happy glow in your eyes. The way your disheveled hair blew in the soft, gentle breeze. The warmth of your body pressed to mine. Your caring heart and soul. Yes, Harry, it was then that I knew I wanted you for the rest of our lives. I think you saw that too in my eyes. It was just something in the way you said, ‘Err...sorry about that Ron.’ You tried to hide it but I saw that quick glance in your eyes that told me different. It was right then that I knew it was true. Oh what I wish I would have taken you in my arms then, and kissed you so softly. Best mates forever!_

_“Best mates, forever,”_ Ron said softly as he choked back tears that were forming in his eyes. 

‘Ahhh! Merlin's Beard, Ron! Stop doing this to yourself! You'll drive yourself bloody crazy!’

Yet, Ron could not stop as his mind races away back to a time when he was looking out the window in the hospital wing at Hogwarts. The sun had broken through the early morning clouds and had filled the room with its warming rays. Ron stood there with his eyes fixed upon this natural transformation. He had stayed by Harry's bedside all night long. Madame Pomfrey was reluctant to allow this but with a nod from Dumbledore she had agreed to this. Ron had watched as Dumbledore emerged from the Forbidden Forest, carrying a lifeless Harry in his arms. Not a word was spoken as Harry was quickly carried away to the hospital wing. There, Ron would stay beside Harry until he awoke. 

Madame Pomfrey had bandaged Harry's head where the nasty injury was. Ron knew that Harry would wake up with a splitting headache after seeing the aftermath of a blow to the head like that. Harry looked peaceful now, like an angel. Nothing like the vicious and arrogant Harry that had been of these past few weeks. The Harry that had snapped at Professor Snape and almost destroyed the dungeon in doing so. The Harry that had beat up Malfoy, although a part of Ron did smile when word reached him of this altercation. No matter. Ron still knew that his feelings for Harry were as strong as ever. This was not the Harry that he had come to know and to love. Yet, even though Harry would not open up and talk about things to him, Ron's desire, his care, and his devoted love to Harry remained so strong. Looking down at his best friend, he smiled at the thought of one day waking up with Harry in his arms forever. However, Ron was also aware of the dangers of this. 

A voice inside Ron's mind whispered to him. 'What about the situation with Harry and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named? What about the relationship that the both of you have towards your family? Do you really want to jeopardize that? What if you alienate the both of you from your friends here at Hogwarts? Do you really think that Harry ever though of you in the same way?' 

Never before had Ron spoken to Harry of his feelings. Yet, on occasion, their eyes would meet and for that brief moment, Ron's question was answered, or so he thought it was. Just like on that day back at the Burrow. 

Slowly, the haze of blackness started to come to life from Harry's eyes as the world around him came painfully into focus. Harry had a surging pain in his head that he knew was not associated with his scar. Suddenly, Harry jolted upright in his bed as Ron turned his gaze from the window back to Harry. 

"Ron!" Harry gasped.

"Hiya, Harry. How are you feeling? You gave us all a right good scare last night." 

"I've definitely have felt better and have had better nights, that's for sure,” Harry replied while rubbing his bandaged head. 

Harry had difficulty with his next few words as he stammered over them. The images of last night were still fresh in his memory and painful to remember. 

"R...Ron, I...I'm so sorry about last night, please I just wasn't myself, and you do believe me, don't you?"

Harry wanted to apologize repeatedly to Ron but his words escaped him as he saw Ron's cheeks fill with a red rage. 

"I would bloody well say you should be sorry for all that! Come off it Harry, having your wand jabbed into my neck, and you telling me you are going to kill me! It wasn't exactly a good night for me either! Then you run off like that. What the bloody hell were you thinking?" Ron finishes this and looks at Harry with his arms crossed across his chest and a look of determination etched on his face. 

Harry knew this backlash was well deserved and again tried to apologize to Ron. Ron listened and finally let out a deep breath. One of Ron's trademarks—a blank expressionless face-- appeared before Harry then. A bit uneasy by all of this, Harry shifts around in his bed. 

"Look Ron, you know that I haven't really been myself lately."

"Ha, too right on that one." Ron scoffed. 

Ron, a bit calmed down now walks over, sits on the side of Harry's bed, and looks directly into his best friend's gorgeous, green eyes.

"Yeah, I know that you have not been acting like yourself a lot lately. All of this has some of us very concerned for you. Even Malfoy is a bit scared of you." 

The both of them snicker and laugh at this last statement. The tension in the room seems to dissipate and lift after this. This makes both Ron and Harry feel a lot easier about the rest of their conversation. 

“Look, I have no idea what's wrong with you. You won't say anything to anyone about what is going on inside you. You are my best friend and I could never hold anything against you. Just please promise me that you will never scare me like that ever again…I swear, if you do, that next time I will make you eat slugs for the rest of your life." Ron said jokingly, but with a note of seriousness. 

They hugged a long and warm embrace between two good friends. 

"Thanks, Ron," Harry said as he smiled.

"Hey, now that's the first time I have seen you smile in weeks," Ron said and gently roughed up Harry's disheveled hair some more in good sporting fashion. Harry blushed at this childish but sincere antic. "Now I want you to tell me what's going on with you," Ron demanded. 

"Well it's really hard for me to explain, Ron. It's as if I have some weird feelings inside of me. Sometimes for no reason I feel angry. Not at all, like myself. Ron, I…I can hear Vold...sorry, You-Know-Who's voice! I can feel his emotions within me. Many times he tells me what to do and even though I am trying to fight it I still cannot block him out." 

Ron sat there, stunned in silence, trying to study what he had just heard and then spoke up. "Why not go to Dumbledore about it?" 

"I've tried to, but Professor McGonagall says he's not around! He's always busy at some meeting with the Ministry of Magic. It is about to drive me crazy! You-Know-Who can read my every thought, and my emotions. He can use that against everyone here. That is why I was trying to get away from here so that I couldn't hurt anyone else."

With this flashback in his mind, Harry went silent very quickly before he finally spoke again.  
"It almost caused me..., well you know..., I...I almost hurt you, Ron. I can never forgive myself for putting you through that." 

"Hey now, don't be so hard on yourself. You couldn't help it that You-Know-Who was making you do all that. I just know now what to look out for. So that is where all the weird looks on your face and in your eyes have been coming from. It was Vold----..., I mean it was him!” Ron blushed at the thought of almost letting the name slip past his lips. Then a cold chill runs up Ron's spine as he vividly recalls the memories of the previous night in his mind. 

Silence captures both wizards as neither know or can think of anything to say about this topic. Both are left wordless at what has just been discovered. Finally, Ron looks up from the floor and looked at Harry. His mind says the words yet his mouth is having a difficult time letting these words go. It is something Ron has wanted to ask Harry for quite some time. 

Slowly Ron speaks. "Harry, there is something I have wanted to ask you. I just hope you don't hex me for the rest of my life for asking this." 

Looking at Ron, puzzled yet inquired by this, Harry says, "Sure Ron, go ahead. Say it." 

"Well, I...uh I...ah bloody hell! This is so difficult to ask. I just ...uh, I just want to know, do you------ ?”

Interrupting this scene was Madame Pomfrey entering the room carrying a tray full of breakfast for Harry. She then forces Ron to leave the hospital wing while saying, “The headmaster allowed you to stay here last night. But tonight, you won’t. Go attend your classes.”

Harry, still confused by Ron's last statement, gives the red head a laughing smile as he is pushed out of the room. "I'll see you later, Ron!" he calls out.

"Yeah, okay," Ron said just as the doors to the infirmary were slammed in his face. 

Harry spent the rest of the day eating and wondering restlessly about what Ron was trying to ask him. Harry dozed a good bit as the potion Madame Pomfrey gave him made him very sleepy. Before giving Harry this potion, she told him that no more visitors would be allowed today. While he slept, Harry could hear a song that he knew playing within his mind. It was a catchy song, and one Harry had heard while strolling through Diagon Alley. Unable to force the lyrics from his mind, the last few words to the song kept playing over again in his mind... ‘Something wicked this way comes!’


	4. What Dreams May Bring

**Chapter 4: What Dreams May Bring**

The door slammed hard into Ron's face. He coughed, as the air was full of bits of dust and particles that flew into his face. He knew by the slam of the door that Madame Pomfrey would not be allowing any more visitors today. The head nurse was always like that. One visit per visiting hours was all that anyone was allowed unless special circumstances applied. Only Dumbledore could grant that. In Ron's opinion, Harry was a special enough circumstance, but he knew Madame Pomfrey would not see it that way. Knowing this, Ron made his way down to the Great Hall and sat down beside Hermione for a bit of breakfast. She had her nose buried into two books and looked up at him as he sat down. She and the other Gryffindors at the table asked how Harry was doing. Ron told them Harry was awake and doing fine, and that they were actually able to joke and laugh a bit. This was a relief to them as the memory of the Harry of the past few weeks was still fresh on their minds. Ron told them that Harry had a bad wound to the head, but that was all. He didn’t tell them anything involving what Harry had been hearing and feeling in regards to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Ron knew it would be best to not say anything about that conversation. Ron also reminded himself of how deep his feelings were for Harry, and just how close he had come to asking that very difficult question. 

_'Why of all times did Madame Pomfrey had to arrive? Why couldn't she have waited five more minutes?'_ Ron's inner voice spoke to him. 

Ron was snapped back from his thoughts by Hermione nudging him in the ribs. She had been rambling on about her test that she had next in Ancient Runes, and that he had better complete his Potions assignment that Snape had given them. Once he had finished his breakfast, and had finally gotten away from Hermione, Ron made his way to his first class of the day, Herbology. 

Getting through this class was difficult as Ron was always used to pairing up with Harry for the lessons. Today he had to settle for pairing up with Neville. The day seemed to get worse for Ron as the plant they were preparing to pot bit him on his finger. Ron just wanted to drown the lousy plant in fertilizer and water. Professor Sprout simply told Ron to not tease the plant into thinking it was lunchtime yet, and continued with the lesson. Next up was Care of Magical Creatures. Hagrid usually was quite cheerful to the class, but today Ron could tell that the half giant looked saddened a bit by the missing presence of Harry. Ron knew exactly how he felt. To make matters worse, Malfoy kept taunting him about where Harry was and why he was in the hospital infirmary. Ron wanted to wheel about and beat the living daylights out of the bloke. 

_‘One day, Malfoy, you will get it. If what Harry’s done to you wasn't good enough then you just wait until I have my hands around that scrawny neck of yours,'_ Ron angrily thought. 

Ron knew that right now beating the life out of Malfoy is not the answer to everything. He just gritted his teeth and struggled through the rest of the class. 

Professor McGonagall greeted them as they sat down to her Transfiguration class next. Ron was getting very drowsy by this time, as he had been awake most of the night by Harry's bedside. Finally, the bell rang to signal the end of the class, but not before Professor McGonagall had given them a dose of homework to be completed. The midday break for Ron could not have come at a more opportune time. Double Potions wasn't until 3:30pm that afternoon, so he had a bit of time to rest and prepare for that dreaded class. Deprived of sleep, Ron made his way to his dormitory for a nap. His Potions book lay opened to the assignment but Ron ignored the book and crawled into bed. The red head was fast asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow. There the mystique of his dreams captured him and took him forth on his journey. 

Ron's dream took him back to their first Quidditch match of the season. Their opponent was the Slytherin team. On this day, the skies were overcast as a hint of rain was in the air. Perhaps this was a hint at the outcome of the day. It was Gryffindor's worst game in quite a while as they took a beating from Slytherin, 170-30. Harry, whom usually was very steadfast and reliable on his Firebolt, seemed to be having an even worse day. Nothing went right for the Gryffindors that day. With the loss, Harry seemed more angered and upset than usual. Normally, Harry would take the loss, and with a bit of a pep talk, rally the team's spirit. They would leave the changing room with an upbeat attitude. Yet they couldn't blame Harry for being so upset because there is no worse feeling than losing to Slytherin. Strangely, though later that night Harry was still growling about the match and how they would be lucky to win one game this season. Ron noted this unusual behavior in Harry. Ron made multiple attempts to cheer Harry up by trying to get him to play wizard's chess or taking a walk down by the lake. Each attempt was answered by a tantrum from Harry and then a verbal assault of how poorly they all played. One part of Ron said that it was just the will of Harry to not want to lose, and then another part of him cited that it was the pressure of juggling Quidditch along with all of their studies this year. It was true. Their studies had almost doubled in difficulty and the teachers were not slacking up one bit on the assignments. The third part of Ron just wanted to smack the sense back into Harry. This dream started to fade into shadows. The next stop on this journey would carry Ron to a point in time that had just happened about a week ago. Harry had seemed to become even more agitated and even more annoyed by everything. His temperament had definitely changed, as Harry was now prone to constant mood swings; usually going from bad to worse. Within these changes, Ron had felt the force of his new, brunt temper. Still, with all of his determination that he could muster, Ron tried his best to brush aside this darker side of Harry. 

Things came to a head during Snape's Potion class. Here, the full aura of Harry's new anger surfaced and showed its true face. They had been trying to master a very complex potion that Snape had assigned them. As usual the potions teacher was brooding on about how well the Slytherins, in particular Malfoy, were having no troubles brewing the potion. Ron sat nervously as Snape commented on how miserable looking Ron's potion looked. 

"Typical for a Weasley. You are without a doubt far worse than your brothers in my class." 

Ron's ears turned to an anger red at this insult to his family. _'One day I want to see him just get what he deserves!'_ Ron thought. 

Harry's cauldron was next. The greasy-haired professor stood over the cauldron and stared at its contents. 

"Absolutely pathetic, Potter! I really do not know why I even attempt to teach an insufferable remake of James Potter! Clearly, the both of you do share something; you both have a knack for failing miserably at Potions. Why don't you just drop my class and save us all the time and breath! I will not shed a tear to see you go. As a matter of fact, I can write a statement to the headmaster saying that you wish to leave Potions and spend your time doing less important matters." 

Harry sat there looking at Snape without ever blinking an eye. This was very much unlike Harry to just take these insults upon him. Sensing this, Snape turned his back to Harry and proceeded to continue with the lesson. 

"Stupid, old, greasy git!” Harry spoke with no emotion in his voice. 

Snape stopped in mid-sentence and turned around. He walked back over to Harry. Placing his hands on either side of the cauldron, he peered at Harry with his black eyes over the light stream of smoke that was drifting up from Harry's cauldron. 

"That slip of your tongue, Mr. Potter, will cost Gryffindor one hundred points." 

A sly smirk formed at the corners of Harry's mouth. "Anything else, Professor?" Harry spoke arrogantly. 

"Oh yes, another fifty points for your behavior in my classroom; now shall I continue?" Snape demanded. 

Sounds of stifled laughter came across the room from the Slytherin table.  
Harry continued to just sit there and smile at Snape with his wry smile as the Potions Master nostrils flared with anger. 

"You will stay after class, Potter! I would like to have a word with you," Snape spoke then turned and walked over to his desk. 

"The only word you will hear from me is how much of a seething, jealous, dumb ass you really are ... Severus!" 

"Silence! You ...will not disrespect me!" Snape quickly was mere inches from Harry's face now. "I may have taken all of your father's abuse and antics, but I will be damned if I take any lip from a little...twit...like you. Another one hundred points from Gryffindor." 

Ron, sensing the out of control emotions between the two, whispered to Harry.  
"Harry, stop this! You're just making things worse for all of us!" 

"No, Mr. Weasley, please do let him continue. If he wants to play mind games and run his infernal mouth then let him. Any more comments from our celebrity, Potter? I am more than prepared for your pitiful little remarks," Snape said while still glaring at Harry. 

Harry just kept his staring gaze pointed at his Potions teacher. Suddenly all of the cauldrons started to shake. The contents inside started to boil and bubble forth a blue liquid. All of the students backed away quickly, except for Snape and Harry. They both stood there eyeing one another as the smoke from Harry's cauldron became thicker. A blue smoke started to vent from all of the other cauldrons. Then, all at once, an icy, blue fire erupted from each cauldron. The blue fire shot straight up to the ceiling and torched the ceiling, then spread to the walls. The students ran out of the room, leaving Harry and Snape in a blue, fiery standoff. 

"Mind games it is, Severus," Harry said. 

Harry waved his hand towards each cauldron and the fires were extinguished, leaving a trail of blue smoke that drifted towards the ceiling of the room. 

"Until next time, Severus," Harry said and chuckled as he walked out of the classroom. 

Snape stood stunned and frozen to the spot. His gaze turned upwards at the diminishing blue smoke. His left arm started to throb as his eyes looked at the dim outline above him. Quickly, he turned and ran into his quarters. Ron crawled out from under his table and saw the smoke hovering in the air. He could not believe what he saw. 

Ron's eyes flew open as he lay in his dormitory bed. He was sweating profusely. Frozen with fear, he was unable to make his legs move so he could get out of bed. Instead, he laid there with those horrific memories cutting into his mind, scared and wondering what would happen. 

\------------------------------------------------------- 

Harry hated being in the hospital. It was so dull and boring. There wasn't a thing to do except lie in bed when he could be outside in the sunshine, or even more, be with his friends. Of course Madame Pomfrey had to keep him here for another night. He did not see why. Aside from having a bump and a cut on his head, he was fine. He felt fine. Matter of fact this is the best he had felt in several weeks. Rather than fuss about it, and he knew Madame Pomfrey would not yield to his wishes, Harry decided to just make the best of the day. At least this way he could take a day off from his classes and sleep in. It had been several weeks since he had a good night of undisturbed sleep. Even now, Harry was having trouble going to sleep, if it wasn't for these weird dreams that he had been having as of late. Now, just to make matters worse, he had these words from a song he knew that kept playing over in Harry's mind. 

_'Merlin's beard, why of all times did this choose to happen now? What was Ron trying to ask me?'_ Harry's inner voice thought. 

Harry finally drifted off to sleep as a blur of objects flew by him. He awakes to the Quidditch match Gryffindor had against Slytherin just a few weeks ago. Harry wasn't feeling too well that day as he had an awful headache, but did not let on about it.

For the last few nights, Harry would go to sleep and fight his dreams. He would always start out by running through a forest, each time hearing strange voices. They seemed to be telling him which way to go. With every dream Harry would seem to get closer to the strange voices, but always wake up before he could see who it was. Soon a cave would appear in his dream and Harry would enter it, then a blinding white light would appear and the dream would be over. When Harry would awake from this particular dream, his head would ache and throb. He also noted that he would be soaked in his own sweat.  
  


To put it simply, as much as Harry loved Quidditch, this was not the best day for him to participate in a match. Wanting to end the game quickly, Harry made nonchalant efforts to retrieve the Snitch. Mercifully, the game ended and Harry seemed to be enraged at losing for the first time to Slytherin. He took his anger out on his teammates and blamed them for the loss. Even later that night, Harry was still going on about the match. In doing so, he snapped at Ron while his best friend tried to get him to calm down and forget the whole thing. All of the fellow Gryffindor students avoided Harry in the common room. Disgusted and feeling betrayed by his so-called friends, Harry stormed off to his bed. Ron followed soon with a nervous expression on his face. Harry was still awake and lay looking up at the ceiling. 

"Harry?" Ron called to him weakly. 

"What!" came a stern reply. 

"What's wrong with you, mate?" 

"None of your bloody, damn business!" came the reply from the bed across from Ron. 

"Look, I'm only trying to help you, and by the looks of it, I'm about the only friend you've got left!" an angered Ron replied. 

"Well, you're surely not doing a very good job of helping, so shut up!" Harry snapped. 

"Ya know what Harry, you can just piss off!" Ron shouted. 

A smile broke across Harry's face as angered sobs came from the bed across from him. Inside Harry's mind, a low-pitched laughter began. 

Harry's world changed as he witnessed the fire in Snape's classroom and the mark hovering in the air. The next stop in this dream placed Harry at the scene of a most memorable event. He was walking back to Gryffindor Tower. Professor McGonagall was making Harry serve a week long detention for his outburst and his theatrics in Professor Snape's classroom. On this walk back, Harry would come across his arch nemesis, Draco Malfoy. 

"Out of the way, Malfoy!" 

"Shut your filthy, little mouth Potter! How dare you talk to me like that!" 

"Trust me, Malfoy, you do not want to fuck with me. Not tonight!" Harry's eyes gleamed forth their green blaze. 

"Is that a threat, Potter? Ha, I'm insulted by it! What's the matter with you, scared that the famous Harry Potter will get beaten by me again?" Malfoy sneered. 

"Look, Draco, I'm warning you!" 

"Warning me! Ha! You are not enough of a man to even touch my robe. One day you will see, Potter as the purebloods will rule the wizarding world. Father says that the Dark Lord will return and when he does...I am going to enjoy seeing the decay of all the half bloods and all of the people that try to defy the Dark Lord. He will favor my family, and all that we have done for him. My loyalties lie with him!" 

"Piss on you and your loyalties! You are nothing but an egotistical, self centered, no good, bloody git!" Harry spoke slowly but so darkly to Malfoy. "You, Malfoy, are a complete disgrace to Syltherin and to Voldemort. The first sign of trouble you run to your father to save your ass. Voldemort could snap you in half if he wanted to. You are like a bug to him. A pest, a nuisance, a peon. The Dark Lord would not dare soil his hands by even touching or wasting his time with you." Harry's eyes glowed a dim red mixed with his green pigment. 

"That's it, Potter, you're dead!" Malfoy said and swung wildly at Harry. 

Harry grabbed Malfoy's swinging arm and locked it behind the blonde's back. Running forward, he smashes Malfoy's face violently into the cold, hard wall. Malfoy falls into a crumpled heap and a bloody mess after making impact. The Slytherin's nose is broken as blood splattered on his robe and face. Harry stands over the bloody mess and begins to punch Malfoy viciously over and over in the head and face. He curses and swears at the blonde with every swing and every breath he takes. After pummeling the Slytherin, Harry then proceeded to kick him from head to toe. Blood and teeth fly as Harry’s foot connects with Malfoy's face. A gurgled cough and low howl emerges from the blonde as Harry pounds his ribs and midsection with his foot. A venomous anger spews forth from Harry as bones crack and break with every kick that Malfoy receives. Finally, Harry stopped as Malfoy lay in a fetal position on the floor. Harry looks down at his devastation and carnage. Draco's left eye is swollen shut and he had numerous deep bruises all over his face. A number of his ribs are broken as well as his nose. The blonde is coughing up blood as he grasp for air. Harry leans down and grabs Malfoy by his blonde and blood stained hair. 

"Never, will you ever talk to me like that again!" Harry sneered. 

That being said he rams the back of Malfoy's head into the floor. A cold, hard smile emerges across Harry's face as he stands over Malfoy. He stares down at the blood on his hands. The blood of victory. 

Images swirl around again into a multitude of figures and colors. Harry opens his eyes and looks up at the ceiling of the hospital infirmary. For an odd reason, Harry's legs felt heavy. He tries to look down at his legs but instead his efforts are met by two yellow slit eyes looking back at him. A forked tongue darts in and out of the mouth as the eyes move closer. The creature has Harry's legs in a suffocating grip. In the shadows a low, hissing voice comes from across the room. 

"Play nice now, Nagini. We do not want to spoil everything just yet. " 

Harry shudders at this voice. 

"Do make Harry more comfortable, my sweet." 

Obeying this command, the snake constricts its coils even harder around Harry's legs. Harry grunts as he struggles to try and free himself from this grip. Slowly, the hissing voice draws closer as a figure emerges into the moonlight. Harry looks on in sheer horror at the sight of Voldemort comes into frame. Panic begins to set in on Harry. 

"How did you get in here? Where's Dumbledore? What have you done to everyone? Help! Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall! Help me!” 

"Harry, so many questions, and yet so little time. It will do you no good to scream. I've placed a Silencing Charm on this room. No one can hear your screams. Do not worry, Harry, I won't kill you; at least not tonight." 

Voldemort stops after saying this and with an evil grin looks at Harry who is struggling effortlessly against Nagini. 

"What do you want with me, then?" Harry asks. 

"You see, Harry, I'm here of my own free will to...well, to simply pay a visit to you and to make sure you are recovering nicely from your incident." 

A low chuckle escapes the Dark Lord. 

"I know that these last few weeks have been so difficult for you. It's not easy having the power of me inside of your mind." 

Harry looks puzzled at this. 

"Oh please, Harry, were you too stupid enough to not figure it out? Or did you simply deduce it all to simple teenage hormones? How a simple fool like you can be prophesized to kill me, I shall never understand. Instead, I will simply rid the world of one more useless wizard; just like I did to your parents." 

"I'll kill you!" Harry screamed. 

“I see there is a bit of anger and fire in you after all. Please, allow me to tap into this anger ever so slightly." 

Voldemort lightly places his finger on Harry's scar. In an instant, they both feel a rush of fire flow through them. This fire contains a thirst for vengeance towards the Potters’ murderer. The finger is quickly lifted as Voldemort turns his back to Harry. 

"Come, Harry. Even as dense as you are, you are still a warrior. Through all of the battling and adversity that you have overcome, you have managed to foil my plans thus far. Ah, but there is one plan that you shall not overcome. When the time is right, I shall call upon you for our duel." 

"When I am finished with you, you will regret everything you ever said and done to my parents," Harry said with full hate. 

"No, Harry. When, and oh, it will be me, that will be standing over you as you take your dying breath. Just remember it will be me that your eyes will see as you die." 

Harry turns to Nagini and smirks at the snake very arrogantly. 

"Don't you worry either, I have a very special surprise waiting for you." 

The snake starts to attack Harry but Voldemort stops her. 

"Come my precious, let us go and leave Harry to his rest. By the way, before we take our leave, let us give him his get well gift." 

The angered snake bits down upon Harry's leg with its razor sharp teeth as Harry screams with all of his might at the pain. 

Harry wakes up with a scream that is stuck in his throat. He looks around expecting to see Voldemort and Nagini there. There was no sign of either one, just the usual hospital wing. A bright ray of sunlight shines through the window as a new day is upon Hogwarts. Harry feels a bit of pain in his left leg. He pushes back the sheet and is horrified by what he sees. Blood is oozing out of a wound in his leg. Looking at his fingernails Harry sees blood on them; his own blood. Quickly, his mind tries to rationalize everything about his dream. Or was it a dream? Somewhere deep in the depths of Harry's mind a low, hissing laugh begins.


	5. The Day After

**Chapter 5: The Day After**

Ron blinked his eyes as the bright light from the morning sunlight brought him back from the images of his past. He shakes his head a bit and squints at the brightness of the new day. Trying to forget the thoughts from his mind, he walks outside to gather the morning newspaper. He quickly glances the headlines on the front page, and tucks the paper under his arm. 

_'Such a lovely morning to spend outside. Why not go up to the balcony to read instead of in the kitchen?'_

Deciding upon this choice, he walks back inside and up to his bedroom balcony. While Ron was stepping into the bedroom his eyes became fixed upon a drawer under the nightstand table. Instantly, a fresh memory came to life. Ron walked over to the drawer and slid it open. Inside were several envelopes, most of them old receipts and discarded mail. However, one envelope did catch his attention. It was an envelope with very scratchy handwriting on it. On the outside of it was scribbled, HARRY. 

"The letter. I still cannot believe that I've kept this for all this time." 

Ron smiled as he took the envelope and the morning paper out onto the balcony with him. Once seated in the morning sunlight, Ron carefully opens the envelope and unfolds the piece of parchment. His eyes read over the scribbled handwriting from the past. 

"I was going to give it to Harry the day after he got out of the hospital, but so much has happened after that I forgot about it.” 

Ron looked at the writing.

_Harry,_

_For many years, I have fought the urge within me to say this to you in person. Many times, I was not ready to say it. Other times the words would be on the tip of my tongue, but someway I would be interrupted. Now after you read this, I will understand if you never do speak to me again. For too long I have known that I love you, Harry. Not just a love that is bonded by friendship, but a deeper, a more passionate love. A true love that can only come from my heart. Harry, I am in love with you and want to be with you forever. True, I know there will be many obstacles in our path, but I know that together we can overcome them. Within your eyes, Harry, I become lost with your passion. I can only hope that you feel the same way about me._

_Ron_

Ron read the letter one final time as he fell back into the dwellings of his memories. 

_...I can only hope that you feel the same way about me..._

Satisfied with the letter, Ron places it into an envelope and writes Harry's name on the outside. Then he lays it under his pillow with the intention of giving it to Harry when he returns from the hospital wing. Since being interrupted by Madame Pomfrey, Ron knew that he had to give this to Harry as soon as he could, or else this would drive him crazy if it continued on much longer. It was a risk, but one that he had to take in order to find the answer. The Gryffindor couldn't just come right out in front of everyone and ask Harry. Knowing this, Ron hoped that by allowing Harry to find this letter, it would be the best way. Whatever the response would be, he would have to live with it. Deep within his heart and soul, Ron prayed for the answer to be what his mind and instincts have always told him. Ron fought his sleep that night as he kept waking up and looking at the empty bed across from him. Every time sleep would almost overtake Ron, he would dream of the moment and the repercussions of what would happen afterwards when Harry would give him the answer to his question. Ron awoke the next morning determined and prepared to hear Harry's answer. 

Harry awoke that morning with a terrified vision in his mind and an unforgettable, evil laughter ringing in his ears. He quickly realized that it had been a bad dream. However, this nightmare had left its mark on him mentally and physically. The wound on his leg was not serious, but it was a reminder of the powers that the Dark Lord has. Harry collected his thoughts and breathed again as the images of the nightmare started to fade away. Soon Madame Pomfrey would arrive and Harry hoped that she would release him from the infirmary. True to form, she soon appeared and began a last inspection of Harry's head wound. After asking Harry a few questions how he felt, she released him to return to his normal, daily life inside Hogwarts Castle. 

A rumbling sound told Harry that he needed some breakfast, and with any luck, he would catch Ron or Hermione in the Great Hall. Wonderful smells of bacon, eggs, toast, sausages, and other delights filled Harry's nostrils as he entered the Great Hall. He sat down beside Ron at the Gryffindor table, but before he could even take one bite of his food, all of his fellow Gryffindors bombarded Harry with hearty "welcome backs". Harry looked around and noticed Hermione was missing. 

"Where's Hermione?" 

"Oh, she's gone already." Ron said through a mouthful of food. "She said she had to leave early for some quick research and studying in the library." 

"Same old Hermione. I swear she never does tire of the library and all of those books." 

"Too right about that. So how are you doing? I would have come back yesterday, but you know how Madame Pomfrey is about visitors." 

"All right, I suppose. I had a weird dream last night. Guess it was from being in the infirmary all day," Harry said in between bites of his breakfast. 

"Really, mate? I had a weird dream yesterday too!" 

Before the two could exchange their stories about the dreams, a loud screech came from above. 

"Ah, mail's early today," Ron said looking up. 

Flying high overhead in the Great Hall was a large number of owls. Many of the owls had letters tied to their legs and packages clenched in their talons. A huge, brown owl soared down from the group and glided down with a perfect landing in front of Harry. The beautiful bird hooted once and Harry saw the letter that was attached to the bird's leg. He untied the letter from the owl and gazed at it in his hands. Neatly written on the outside of the envelope in green stencil was written: H. Potter.

Not wanting to be forgotten, the owl hooted again at Harry. The noise did not break Harry's concentration. Resorting to useful tactics, the brown owl bit Harry's finger with its beak. He didn't like being ignored and wanted to be paid for bringing the delivery. 

"Ouch! Hey, watch it, will ya! I've had a hell of a rough night." 

The owl did not look sympathetic as he tilted his head and hooted louder at Harry. 

"Fine, alright, take whatever you want!" Harry said, wanting to be rid of the bird. 

The owl selected a delicious looking sausage link from the plate and flew away. 

"What is it, Harry? Who's it from?" Ron questioned. 

"Dunno, but I have a good guess." 

"Well, go on then, open it. It can't be anything worse that the howler Mum sent me." 

Harry opened the envelope and pulled out a piece of parchment that read: 

_Mr. Potter,_

_Be at my classroom this evening at seven o’clock._

_Professor McGonagall_

Both Harry and Ron looked puzzled at the letter. 

"Wonder why she didn't pass the message to you by another Gryffindor?" Ron inquired. 

"No idea," Harry shrugged his shoulders. 

Then a distinctive screech caught their ears. They looked up and saw Errol flying high above the other owls. The bird would fly into other owls’ path and force them off course. This action was then followed by other screeches ringing across the Great Hall, as the other owls would chase after Errol. Yet with Errol's dysfunctional flying, the other owls would fly into one another and miss their target. All of this brought a roar of laughter from the students below. Ron's ears went to a shade of dark red as he prepared for the worst form of embarrassment. 

"Oh..." Ron groaned. "Bloody bird, I can't stand him," he said to Harry. 

Their attention was focused on Errol as the owl swooped down to the far end of the Gryffindor table and proceeded to glide in for the landing. 

"He's looking good so far," Harry said half-surprised by the owl. 

Errol flapped his wings once more and hooted once as he put his feet down in anticipation of his first perfect landing. Only his feet landed in a blot of jam and the owl flipped over head first into Ron's bowl of oatmeal. The Great Hall erupted into laughter. 

"Errol, you are without a doubt the worst owl I have ever seen!" Ron scolded. 

He dipped the bird's head out of the bowl. Poor Errol had oatmeal all over his head and all over his neck and feathers. He hooted in appreciation to Ron for helping him out of the bowl of oatmeal. Ron untied the note on the owl's leg as Errol shook his feathers free of the oatmeal onto Ron and Harry. 

"Thanks a lot, you dumb bird!" Ron shouted as he wiped oatmeal from his face. 

Errol hooted with gratification and took a piece of toast from Ron's plate before flying off. 

"Bloody bird will never learn to fly right," Ron said as he watched Errol crash into a wall while trying to fly out of the Great Hall. 

They both look closer at Ron's envelope. It is just like the envelope that Harry had just received. Written in green stencil was Ron's name on the outside of the envelope. With the thought and anticipation of something bad appearing out of the envelope, Ron slowly opens the envelope. Nothing comes out except one single piece of parchment. On the note is written: 

_Mr. Weasley,_

_Please come to my office this evening at seven o’clock. The password is earwax._

_A. Dumbledore_

"What's it say, Ron?" 

Ron looks up from his note at Harry. 

"Well...Dumbledore wants to see me at seven tonight." 

"I wonder what they both want?" 

"Harry, you don't suppose you're being ...expelled for what happened the other night?" 

Harry sat there for a moment, bewildered a bit, but thinking about both letters. 

"I don't think so. My guess is that they both want to talk to us separately about what happened that night." 

"Well, whatever it's about we will find out later today. If we don't hurry we'll be late for Herbology," Ron said. 

They left the Great Hall and started the day. For the most part, the day went by with an uneventful feel to it. Most everyone was glad to see that Harry was back and in good spirits. Even Hagrid was back to his usual self today. Malfoy was still the same although with one glance back and one sly smile from Harry put the Slytherin in his place. Malfoy remembered all too well what happened to him the last time he challenged Harry. During lunch, Hermione caught up with the two of them and hugged Harry before settling down for their meal. There was no rest today because after lunch was Divination and lastly, Potions. 

Professor Trelawney was her usual, predicting self as she forecasted that terrible pain and suffering would happen to someone in the class. Ron and Harry both had to stifle their laughter at this notion, as in their minds, this class was enough pain and suffering anyone could take. 

The time arrived for Potions. Everyone filed into the dungeon, but surprisingly there was little conflict in the class today. Professor Snape was still cold and sneering as ever, yet there was a subtle change in him today. No points were taken from Gryffindor. Either Snape did not want to start anything today or else he might have remembered what happened the last time he pushed Harry over the edge. They left the class with a relief and, after dropping off their books in the Gryffindor common room, made their way to the Great Hall for dinner. Once they had finished dinner, they said goodbye to Hermione as she left to go to the library. 

The boys walked in silence to Professor McGonagall's room. They were both very apprehensive about what would happen within the next few hours. Was Harry's hunch right? Harry knocked on the door and from the other side came a familiar voice. 

"Come in." 

The two entered the room. Professor McGonagall was seated behind her desk, evaluating an assignment that had been handed in. 

"Ah, good, Mr. Potter you are here on time. Mr. Weasley, I believe that you are to proceed down the hallway to the left until you see the gargoyle statue.” 

"Well, see ya, Harry," Ron said as he walked out of the room. Harry nodded in return. 

"Close the door, Mr. Potter." 

"Professor," Harry started after closing the door, "what's this all about?" 

"I wanted you to complete the assignment that you missed while you were in the infirmary." 

A sigh of relief escaped Harry. 

"Why? Was there something else the matter?" 

"No." 

A look in Harry's eyes told the deputy headmistress that Harry was not being completely honest with his answer. 

"Well then, you may take your seat and we'll get started with everything." 

Harry opened his Transfiguration book as the lesson started. 

\----------------------

Ron came to a stop in front of the gargoyle statue. 

"Um ...earwax." 

The statue began to move to one side as a spiraling staircase was revealed behind it. Ron stepped onto the staircase and it immediately came to life as it began to lift him upwards. Finally, it stopped and Ron saw a door several feet in front of him. He walked up to the door and was about to knock when it opened. There inside a very large office room was Dumbledore sitting behind his desk in his light blue robes. Off to the left of the desk sitting on his perch was Fawkes. 

"Ah, Mr. Weasley. Do come in. I was beginning to think that you were going to be a bit late," Dumbledore said as he got up and greeted Ron. "Would you care for a cup of tea?" 

Ron accepted the offering. 

"Do sit down, my dear boy and make yourself comfortable. Please, do relax." 

Ron sat in a chair in front of the desk as Dumbledore stood close to his fireplace and looked at the portraits above the mantel. 

"Mr. Weasley, neither you nor Harry are in any trouble, that I can assure you." 

Like Harry, a huge sigh of relief escaped Ron. Seeing this, Dumbledore chuckled and Fawkes let out a cry. 

"You see, I have invited you here as I want to talk to you about Harry and what happened two nights ago." 

Immediately, Ron's memory of that morning's breakfast passed before his eyes and the conversation of what Harry had said. 

"Tell me how it all happened, Mr. Weasley." 

"Well, I was asleep and then I woke up. Harry had his hand over my mouth and his wand pointing into my neck. He told me that he was going to kill me." 

Dumbledore nodded for Ron to continue. 

"He had this very weird look in his eyes. It had me completely scared to death. Then he just took off and started to run away. The only thing I could think of was to try and stop him before he could hurt anyone else." 

"A very noble and courageous deed, Mr. Weasley." Dumbledore said. 

"Yesterday in the hospital wing, Harry told me that he had been hearing voices in his dreams. It had been happening to him for several weeks now. He told me it was, well ... You-Know-Who." 

"Ah. I did anticipate that. You see, Mr. Weasley, while I was in the Forbidden Forest with Harry, I too came across that same dark side of him. Yes, Voldemort is trying his best to gain a foothold here inside Hogwarts Castle. He is using Harry to try to accomplish this. Harry and Voldemort share much more than a past together. They share each other's blood. By speaking to Harry through his dreams, Voldemort can control Harry and his emotions. He can see everything that Harry senses and feels. The look that you saw in Harry's eyes at times is a portion of the Imperius Curse. 

"One of the unforgivable curses," Ron muttered. 

"Correct. Through the Imperius Curse, Voldemort is able to control Harry at times. Yet, Harry is very strong and resilient and fights back. That is why you see the confused look in Harry's face at times. However, it is very painful for both parties when this action occurs. Rage and uncontrollable anger occurs due to the pain. However, the pain and anger can be harnessed and directed to others as well. Therefore, several days to even a week may pass before anything odd happens again. You see, when Voldemort is able to control Harry, he is able to see things through Harry and is also able to tap into his emotions. It can lead to a very bad situation quickly. Thankfully, so far it has only created minor occurrences as compared to what it could potentially become. However, I cannot avoid the actions of what happened concerning Mr. Malfoy and to what happened in Professor Snape's classroom. True, Severus may have crossed the line by insulting Harry, but appropriate disciplinary actions will be taken. Harry will serve detention at the appropriate times." 

Dumbledore got up, walked over, and petted Fawkes. 

"Now then, I do have another matter to speak of. Tell me, Mr. Weasley, do you love Harry?' 

Ron was absolutely shocked by this question from Dumbledore. 

"Well, I...uh, well, ya know, Harry is...we, uh...Harry is my best friend." 

Dumbledore smiled at Ron as the redhead struggled with the answer. 

"How did you know, Sir?" 

Dumbledore tapped his finger to the side of his temple and beamed at Ron with his bright blue eyes. 

"You do not have to be ashamed and scared to admit to me that you have true, loving feelings for Harry. For the true inner power of love can only come from the heart of one that is pure. I do not believe that this will cause any conflict with your classmates. However, I do ask this. Have you spoken to Harry about this?" 

"No, I haven't yet. When I want to, I cannot say the words. Harry never has mentioned anything about it to me, but sometimes our eyes will lock for a moment, and it's like the answer is looking right at me." 

"Always know that the eyes will never lie to you for they are a pathway to one's soul. Trust your instincts, Mr. Weasley." 

Ron blushed a bit. "Thank you, Sir, for understanding my feelings and where I am talking from. It's a great relief to hear that from someone." 

"That is quite all right. Now I must ask you a personal favor. I want you to watch Harry closely. Do not be afraid to open up to him and let him see your true feelings. I will have his professors monitor him while he is in their class, but I need you to monitor him outside of their presence. Any slight deviation in his normal behavior, I want it reported to me. You can go to Professor McGonagall and tell her and she will report it to me. Be careful, Mr. Weasley. While Harry may look all right on the outside, do know that he is still vulnerable to Voldemort's powers. I do not believe that Harry will let him harm you in any way. Do you have any questions about what I am asking you to do? 

"No, Sir. I understand completely." 

"Very well then, off you go. I do believe that Mr. Potter should be about finished in Professor McGonagall's class." 

Ron got up and started toward the door. 

"Remember, Mr. Weasley, the past is history, the future is always a mystery. Follow your instincts. They will never lead you astray." 

Ron shook his head in acknowledgment, smiled a bit, and went to the spiral staircase. He met Harry just as he had knocked on the door to Professor McGonagall's classroom. Their eyes met again as they were face to face for that brief moment. The two started to walk back to Gryffindor Tower. 

"What did Dumbledore want?" Harry asked. 

"He just wanted to talk a bit about you. You know, how you were doing, and about the other night,” Ron replied. 

"Oh, I see...Ron---" 

"Harry, please, you don't have to apologize to me again for it. I'm okay and understand it all. The past is history and the future is a mystery." 

"What? When did you start speaking in riddles?" 

"It was something Dumbledore mentioned to me. Don't forget, we still have that essay to finish for Snape." 

"Thanks for reminding me. I had almost forgotten about that." 

They left the conversation at that and walked until they got to Gryffindor Tower. They stayed up struggling with the essay without Hermione's assistance. With the time drawing close to midnight, they left the reports to be finished on a full stomach of breakfast and a night of hopeful rest. Both crawled into their beds and slept peacefully. 

Only if they knew what was about to happen next...

 


	6. Arrival of the Storm

**Chapter 6: Arrival of the Storm**

The peace and quietness lasted for a few weeks. Everything seemed to be returning to normal at Hogwarts for Ron and Harry. Gryffindor won its Quidditch match against Ravenclaw, and Harry’s horrible dreams had stopped. It was the first, good, sound sleep he had in quite some time. They both had almost forgotten about the dangers that lurked ahead of them. All was quiet; too quiet. 

However, one person had not been so blind to the normalcy of the situation. Dumbledore paced back and forth in his study, night after night. He would withdraw thoughts and ideas from his mind with his wand and place them in his Pensieve. The aged wizard's mind never did stop turning over new thoughts and backtracking on old thoughts. Something was not right about all of this and his powerful wizarding senses told him so. Shortly after the meeting with Ron, Dumbledore sent a message to Harry instructing him to come to his office. There Dumbledore spoke to Harry about the situation at hand. He knew that Harry's best defense was to prepare the young Gryffindor for the inevitable by teaching him all he could about Occlumency. It was a great risk, but Dumbledore knew that he had to do it. Like a storm brewing on the horizon, the old wizard's instincts told him it was drawing closer. The time was almost near, and soon it would all begin. 

Harry, Ron, and Hermione returned from their trip to Hogsmeade. The three of them had a wonderful time looking about the shops and having a drink of butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks. With nightfall approaching, Hermione tried to motivate Harry and Ron to begin studying. Her request was met with a wave of their hands as they both ignored her and directed their concentration to the game of wizard's chess. Hermione scoffed and rolled her eyes at the two as she went off to her dormitory to study. Very quickly, the soft glow of the evening twilight was replaced by the cool darkness of the night. Ron and Harry finished their game and headed to their dormitory to turn in for the night. Once in their pajamas and into their beds they both lay awake for a bit, but neither speaking a word, as they were lost in their own thoughts. Soon, Ron drifted off to sleep with a slight snore while Harry lay awake looking at the ceiling. He then rolled over on his side and gazed out the window at a spectacular full moon. Without his glasses on, he had a bit of difficulty making out the full particulars of the scene, but he lay there mesmerized by the soft glow and color of what his eyes beheld. Soon Harry's thoughts drifted to questions about his dead parents as sleep overtook him. 

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Harry's dream started out nice and gentle. He dreamed that he was graduating from Hogwarts and he was standing with his friends at the front gate looking back at Hogwarts Castle. It was a dream that was filled with seven years of happiness. Quickly, a black emptiness surrounded Harry as everything had been completely enveloped by the darkness. A grey smoke filled the air around Harry as it choked at his lungs. In front of him, two red eyes appeared through the smoke. Harry tried to run, but his legs would not move. He tried to scream, but no sound would come from his throat. The eyes emerged through the smoke as a hooded figure stood before him with a wand already drawn and pointed at Harry's heart. Harry reached for his wand, but it was nowhere to be found. The smoke around them grew even thicker as it became more difficult to see. Then an evil laughter came from the figure. Harry knew this laughter and knew immediately that he was looking at Lord Voldemort. Harry panicked, his heart beating as if it would leap out of his chest. Through the smoke, Harry saw the tip of the wand begin to turn green as the color and flash reflected in Harry's glasses. A scream finally escaped Harry's lungs, but it was too late as he felt a surge of green light penetrate him and a jolt of electricity fly into him. Then Harry was falling for what seemed like eternity. He landed with a hard thud on something. He opened his eyes and realized that he was surrounded by blackness that was now breached by a bright ray of moonlight. The right side of his body ached as his hands felt the cold, hard dormitory floor below him. Slowly, Harry pulled himself up with the assistance of the window ledge. He directed his gaze at the moon outside his window. Shockingly, he saw what looked like a mark outlined within the moon! It was the Dark Mark! Frantically, Harry rubbed his eyes trying to clear his mind and vision. He could not believe what he was seeing; it was like the Quidditch World Cup all over again. Spinning around, Harry grabbed his glasses off the nightstand and put them on. When he looked back at the moon, there was no Dark Mark. There wasn't even a cloud in the sky. Harry stood frozen with fear and confusion while his thoughts instantly returned to the dream he had just had. Pulling the blanket off his bed, Harry crept down the stairs to the Gryffindor common room and sat in the chair beside the fireplace. Harry stared into the smoldering ashes while trying to contemplate just what his mind had witnessed. Finally, he was overcome by exhaustion and again fell asleep to the worries of his mind. 

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Some time later, Harry was awakened by the presence of a hand upon his shoulder. Reacting with fear, he tried to climb over the arm of the chair and escape this presence. 

"Harry! Calm down, it's just me, Ron!" Ron spoke in a lowered voice so as to not wake everyone. "What the bloody hell are you doing asleep down here?" 

"Oh Ron, it's just you," Harry said through breaths of relief and sitting back on the chair again. "I..er... I couldn't sleep up there and I didn't want to wake you or anyone else up." 

"Nice try, mate. Now, you really want to tell me why you're down here and not in your bed?" 

Harry stared into the fireplace in a vain attempt to not look Ron in the eyes. He didn't want to admit that the dreams had started again. 

"It's the dreams again, isn't it? They've started again, haven't they, Harry?" Ron asked while pulling a chair in front of Harry and sitting on it. 

Harry nodded in agreement yet still kept his eyes fixed on the fireplace. Ron reached out and cupped Harry's left hand with both of his. It was the first time that Ron had ever reached out to touch Harry in this way. This broke Harry's stare as now the green eyes were looking down at Ron's hands holding his. 

"Hey, look at me, Harry. You know that I am here for you. I want you to tell me what happened. Stop trying to hide it all from me," Ron said as he reached to tilt Harry's chin up so that their eyes would meet. When their eyes met, Ron could see the hurt and pain in Harry's eyes. 

"I don't know if I can do it Ron," Harry began weakly. "How can I go out there to face him when he knows so much about me; my strengths and weaknesses? He mocks and laughs at me in my dreams." 

Ron could see the cold, hard look of vengeance appear in Harry's eyes as he pauses to gather and speak out his thoughts. 

"He killed my parents, and now he's trying to kill me off mentally. He's trying to make me that much weaker so that when our battle does come he will have that much more of an advantage over me," Harry said as he began to shake as anger coursed through his body. "I hate him, Ron! I hate him for how he has destroyed my life, and many others’. He deserves to die a slow, cruel death. If it's meant for me to die along with him, then so be it." Harry emphasized his point by ramming his fist into the cushion of the chair as he finished his statement. 

Ron was shocked, as he had never seen this side of Harry before. This dark, vengeful side of his best friend was terrifying him. It was as if another person lived inside of Harry, only this person was cold and hateful. 

"What? Harry, listen to yourself! You are doing exactly what he wants you to do. He wants you to get mad at him, go out, and meet him full of anger. There is no way that Vold..., You-Know-Who is going to touch you while Dumbledore is around," Ron said back to Harry's flare. 

"I know that, and so does he. He has something planned, something unexpected. He's waiting for the perfect time to make his next move," Harry said, while staring back into the fireplace with his cold, green, vengeful stare. 

Ron stammered before saying, "H--Harry, Dumbledore has instructed me to come to him if anything weird happens or begins to." 

"Go to him," Harry said hastily. Ron looked quite shocked at this reply as he thought Harry would not want Dumbledore to know about his dreams. "There isn't much even he can do right now, except tell me not to do this or that." 

Harry shook his head in frustration at the whole series of events. "You know, Ron, tonight after I fell out of my bed from the dream, I thought for a second that I saw the Dark Mark outside. Once I had my glasses on there was nothing there. I don't know if I was just seeing things or it was some trick by Voldemort." Harry paused briefly before continuing. "When the time comes, Ron, I will be ready. I'll kill the bastard, and make him pay for everyone's suffering they have had to endure because of him! 

Harry had clenched his fist so hard that Ron's fingers were turning white due to the severity of the pressure exerted by Harry. "Harry, can you ease up a bit on my hand?" Ron asked before the pain became too much. 

"Oh. Sorry, Ron," Harry said, not knowing how much his anger had fueled him. 

Ron got up and stood behind the chair Harry was sitting on. He placed both of his hands onto Harry's shoulders and could feel the tension of anger in him. Feeling the hands of his best mate on his shoulders, Harry began to relax a bit, but the fire still burned inside him. 

"Come on, Harry. Let's go back to bed and try to get some rest," Ron coaxed. 

Knowing that Ron was not about to leave him alone, Harry willingly got up and walked up the stairs to their dormitory with his best friend. Lying on their own beds, sleep came to both of them again. 

Ron was awakened by sounds coming from the bed across from him. He sat up and observed Harry moaning and thrashing about in his bed. Undoubtedly, Harry was having yet another nightmare. Ron eased out of his bed and walked over to the side of Harry's bed. He was tossing, turning, and speaking incoherently at his dreams. Ron took a few deep breaths and then slipped quietly into Harry’s bed. He cradled his best friend with his left arm while he placed his head at the back of Harry's neck. Ron held onto Harry with a firm grip of his arm around Harry's waist. Excitement and a bit of fear ran through Ron's mind as this was the first time he had ever held his best mate like this. Only in his dreams had this ever happened before. Yet, Ron did not want to wake Harry up and have him angry at him. Harry did not seem to resist being held by Ron, but instead seemed to be relaxing with every passing moment. Ron quickly fell asleep again as the long night continued. 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Harry was battling the blackness of yet another dream when he felt the sense of being held. He also sensed the presence of another body, but could not wake up and come back to the outside world. This presence soothed Harry within his dream as the dark blackness began to fade away and a different dream came to him. 

A bright, blue sky surrounded Harry as he was flying through the air. Scenes of lush, green meadows and forest were passing by below. The warm rays of sunlight were shining down upon him as he was carried through the air. Soon, Harry came upon a place that he was very familiar with. This dream had taken him back to the Burrow, the home of the Weasleys. Working very hard in her garden, Mrs. Weasley was in the process of planting new plants and trying to rid her garden of the pesky gnomes. She soon finished and retreated inside the house for a cup of afternoon tea. 

Immediately, the scar on Harry's forehead began to burn immensely. Looking around, he saw a large snake lurking near the garden’s edge. With no doubt, he knew exactly who that was. 

"Nagini!" whispered Harry to himself. 

Harry searched for his wand, but, like the other dream, his wand was nowhere to be found. The next moment Harry's dream took him inside the Weasley's home. Sitting at the table was Mrs. Weasley, having a cup of tea and helping herself to a cucumber sandwich. Harry tried to walk up to her and tell her of the danger outside, but something was holding him to this spot. He could not move his feet to walk. He was there strictly to observe whatever was about to happen next. The sky outside suddenly turned a pitch black color, blotting out all of the sunlight that was there only seconds before. Mrs. Weasley looked around, very much mystified by the changes outside. The wind outside started to blow fiercely as bolts of lightning flashed across the darkness.

Suddenly, the kitchen door explodes inward while all of the windows shatter as well; littering the floor with glass and wooden debris. Stepping out of the darkness were three hooded figures. Harry knew these figures as three of Voldemort's Death Eaters. Slithering inside in front of them was Nagini. The snake hissed at Mrs. Weasley, who was thrown backwards by the blast of the door. One by one, the figures revealed themselves to be Lucius Malfoy, Bellatrix Lestrange, and Lord Voldemort himself. Mrs. Weasley was shocked with fear as she frantically searches for her wand. 

"Ah, it appears we have before us the lovely Molly Weasley. How nice of you to invite us into your humble abode." Voldemort looks around the Weasley's house with disgust etched across his face. "My, my you do keep a tidy home," Voldemort says after looking at all of the debris. "Oh, I am sorry for the bit of a mess there, but I suppose that you will be able to clean that up in no time." 

"What do you want?" Molly spoke after finally being able to gather her fears. "No one is here but me." 

"That's true, isn't it?" Voldemort hissed. He walks over to Molly and stares down at the witch. "You see... it _is_ you, Molly, that I do want." 

Mrs. Weasley gasps in terror at this pronouncement. 

"You see, I need for someone to deliver a most important message to Harry for me. Unfortunately, I am unable to present this message myself, but I was rather hoping that you would have no problems in delivering this for me," Voldemort smiles wickedly at her, then chuckles faintly. 

"What do you want with Harry? If you so much as harm a hair on his head, why, I'll--" 

"You will do what?" Voldemort snaps at her. "Stupid, pathetic witch! Do you honestly think that you are in a position to make a threat to me?" Voldemort kneels down to come within inches from Molly's face. "No, as a matter of fact, if I were you, I would be thinking about begging for your own life." 

Mrs. Weasley began to sob heavily as the thought of not being able to say goodbye to her family raced through her mind. Harry stood in shock as he witnessed all of this taking place and being too helpless to become involved. 

"Lucius! Tie her up!" Voldemort commanded. The silver haired Death Eater conjured a spell that bound Mrs. Weasley's hands behind her back. Once completed, Voldemort stood over the witch and laughed, then kneeled down again to whisper into her ear, "Enjoy this to the last." 

Before he could raise back up, Nagini slithered up to her master and nudged Voldemort's arm with her head. "Don't worry my dear, I have not forgotten about you. I will keep my promise to you for you have done a loyal job for me. “

The snake looked from its master to Molly Weasley. Then Nagini lunged out and struck at Molly multiple times. Mrs. Weasley screamed and kicked at the snake, but to no avail. The snake's wrath was tenacious and relentless. Finally, the attacks stopped as the snake withdrew behind Voldemort. 

"Now, you see what happens to those that oppose me?" Voldemort pauses to see the fear in Molly's eyes. “They all meet their end," he hissed. The Dark Lord muttered something to both of the other Death Eaters before facing Mrs. Weasley for the last time. Then all three pointed their wands at Molly as a red flash emitted from each of the wands. Instantly, Molly Weasley lay motionless on the floor. Nagini slithered over and on top of Mrs. Weasley to inspect the damage of the attacks. 

"Come, Nagini!" Voldemort commanded to the snake. 

The hooded figures returned into the darkness as Harry felt himself began to be pulled away from the scene. He was falling again through blackness as a familiar and evil voice called to him. 

"Harry..." 

This was followed by the evil laughter of Voldemort.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Suddenly, Harry felt himself wake up and sit bolt upright in bed. The fast movement awakened Ron with such a startle that he nearly fell out of bed. Harry looked into the early morning light outside their dormitory. He was pale white like a ghost and his breathing was very erratic. 

"Harry, what's wrong?" Ron asked while placing his hand over Harry's heart. He could feel Harry's heartbeat racing away. 

The Gryffindor turned from his stare out the window and looked into Ron's eyes. "Ron ...it’s your mum! I think she may be in danger! We have to speak to Dumbledore now!" 

Professor McGonagall opened her door and was surprised to see Harry and Ron so early in the morning. With eyes still partially asleep, she invited them into her office while she went into her chambers to slip out of her sleep attire and into something a bit more casual. She returned a few minutes later with a glass of pumpkin juice for all three of them. After taking a sip, she asked Harry and Ron, "What can I do for the two of you this morning?" 

"We need to speak to Dumbledore, immediately!" Harry burst out. "I had another dream last night, and I think that Ron's mum is in danger." 

McGonagall quickly sit the cup down on her desk and with her eyes widened by this news said, "I see. The both of you will follow me immediately." 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

A few minutes later they were all standing in front of Dumbledore as Harry explained his dream. The headmaster paced back and forth, as he listened intently to what Harry had seen in his dream. Finally, the last words about the dream left Harry's mouth and Dumbledore stopped to sit behind his desk. He then looked at Harry and then to Ron. 

"I fear that this is just the beginning of what could be many attacks." 

Ron jumped out of his chair, his eyes full of tears and anger. "What? Are you saying that my mum has been attacked? How do you know this is true? I mean, it... it ... it was just a dream that Harry had, right, Harry? It didn't happen! 

Dumbledore sighed at Ron's outburst and then asked him to sit back down before continuing on. "I cannot be for sure, Mr. Weasley. This may be a diversion by Voldemort when his real means is to attack Hogwarts." 

"Sir, I think that I should go and---" Harry started. 

"No, Harry! Whatever you do, you must not leave this castle...” Dumbledore said to rebuttal Harry's question. "Voldemort cannot harm you as long as you stay inside the castle. He is trying to lure you out by using your best friend and his family. You cannot give in to his tactics. Your feelings and emotions will be your weakness and he knows that, thus he is using them against you." 

Dumbledore paused after saying this then looked from Harry, then to Ron, and finally to McGonagall. Their eyes met for a moment and she nodded as if understanding a silent order. 

"Minerva." 

"I know, Albus," she replied before he could finish his thought. 

"I want the both of you to return to Gryffindor Tower and remain inside the castle. Do not go outside for any reason. I will contact you as soon as I return," Dumbledore ordered, and then the headmaster left.

"Come, Potter, Weasley. Let us go to the Great Hall and get some breakfast," McGonagall said as she led the two out of Dumbledore's office. 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Once they had finished their breakfast (they couldn’t get themselves to eat at all), both Ron and Harry were escorted back to the Gryffindor Tower by McGonagall. They both went up to their dormitories and sat on their own beds with a stunned, expressionless look on their faces. Time slowly ticked by as they both waited for Dumbledore's return. They both went down to the common room and began to pace back and forth to somehow pass the time. For what seemed to be an eternity,  the portrait door swung open and Professor McGonagall motioned Harry and Ron to both follow her. They went back to Dumbledore's office in a quiet hush, as they both feared the worst news. Soon they were standing in front of the headmaster again as the wizard prepared them for the news. 

"Sit down, Mr. Weasley," Dumbledore spoke with a cold, blue stare in his eyes and a worried look etched upon his face. "Your mother was found this morning by your Dad as he returned home from work. She was found lying unconscious in the  kitchen just as Harry has seen in his dream. Your father took her to St. Mungo's immediately. Sadly, the medi-witches there cannot figure out what spell or curse she was hexed with," Dumbledore sighed and sat in his chair with a tired look on his face. "She is still unconscious and unresponsive to anything." He stopped for quite a lengthy pause and scanned the faces that were before him, not wanting to say the next few words out of his mouth. "I fear she may never recover." 

"No! Not mum!" Ron gasped. 

Ron was paralyzed with shock as tears started to roll down his cheeks. Harry walked to Ron's side and placed his hand on his best friend’s shoulder for moral support and comfort. 

Ron looked up at Harry and said between sobs, "Harry, you saw it all in your dream. You know what curse they used against mum." 

"I'm sorry Ron, but whatever Voldemort and his Death Eaters used, they did not say the incantation out loud," Harry replied. 

"Always clever." Dumbledore said while listening from behind his desk. "Voldemort knew that Harry would see this in his dream. That's why he did not say the spell out loud." 

The old wizard then seemed to hit upon a notion as he asked quickly, "Harry, was Mrs. Weasley attacked only by the Death Eaters and Voldemort? I remember Arthur telling me that she had puncture wounds all on her legs and arms." 

Harry thought for a second then said, "Nagini! She was there! Nagini also attacked her." 

Dumbledore got up and started to pace around his office while stroking his beard lightly. He mumbled something to himself as he paced. 

"What is it, Albus?" McGonagall inquired. 

"Time is most crucial right now. I will explain upon my return. Again, Harry, I urge you and Mr. Weasley to stay inside Hogwarts Castle. It is too dangerous beyond these grounds for the both of you to venture." 

"But, Professor...” Harry started. 

"I'm sorry, Harry," Dumbledore said while raising his hand to silence Harry's protest. With that, Dumbledore took hold of Fawkes, and leaving a light trickle of smoke behind where he once stood, both the phoenix and his master disappeared.

 "I want the both of you to go to your common room, immediately. I must go and speak with the other professors at once. Now go!" McGonagall instructed.

 


	7. True Feelings

**Chapter 7: True Feelings**

Upon seeing Professor McGonagall walk off down a separate corridor and out of sight, Harry and Ron proceeded to walk back to the Gryffindor Tower. While they walked through the empty hallway, Ron knew that he had to speak up now. 

"Harry?" 

"Yeah, Ron?" 

"I've... I need to tell you something," Ron said. "Something really important." 

"Okay, sure, go ahead," Harry responded. 

"No, not here," Ron said while looking around. 

"Well then, where at?" Harry said with a touch of impatience. 

Ron looked up and down the hallway for a moment before deciding on the closest door to them. " Um… in here, inside this classroom." 

"Ron, what is it?" Harry said loudly, now having lost all patience with Ron. 

"Shh!" Ron shushed. "Only when we're inside there," he continued while pointing at the door across from them. 

They opened the door and quietly walked into the empty classroom. Ron walked around the room checking for anything suspicious that might overhear this conversation. Harry was completely irritated now at Ron's behavior. 

"Well, is this a good enough place to tell me whatever it is?" Harry asked. 

"Yeah, it is. Could you put up a silencing charm over the room, just to be on the safe side?" 

Harry scoffed a bit at this request, but done what Ron had asked him to do. "Alright, now do you want to tell me what this is all about, because I've--" 

"Harry, just shut up, will you!" 

Harry was shocked a bit by this command from Ron. 

"Sorry, this just isn't the time for a lecture," Ron said apologetically. "Look, I know mum is hurt, but dad is with her. She is very strong and resilient. I trust that if it was bad enough then dad would send for me." 

"Yeah, but Ron--" Harry started again. 

"Shush, Harry. This is really important that I tell you this, and I have to say it now," Ron said, cutting Harry off in mid-speech. 

"Okay, Ron, if this means so much to you then go ahead." 

"Harry, it means the world to me," Ron replied, trying to hold back a huge, beaming smile. 

Ron began to pace back and forth in front of the classroom just like Dumbledore. Harry, sensing that this was very important to his best friend, sat down in the front desk and waited. Harry could see Ron's mind forming the words to say to him, but was still absolutely clueless as to what would be said next. Finally, Ron stopped pacing and turned to Harry. 

"Alright, you remember when you were in the infirmary, and I told you that I had something to tell you but…” Ron hesitated. Harry nodded in agreement, remembering clearly this conversation, “…but Madame Pomfrey came in just as I was about to say it?" 

"Yeah," Harry answered, wanting to learn just what Ron was getting at. 

Ron then took a few deep breaths, as he knew this was the moment. He forced the words to come from his brain to his lips. 

"Harry, I'm in love with you," Ron spoke as he studied his best friend's face to see the response. 

Harry didn’t respond negatively, but asked inquisitively, "Sorry, come again?" 

"You heard me," Ron pleaded, making his case to be heard again. 

"Oh yeah. Of course.. I love you and you whole family too," Harry said while trying to force a confused smile upon his face. 

Ron laughed a bit at this answer. He was a tiny bit surprised by it, but continued on. He knew that Harry was just trying to stall and not admit the truth. He walked over and leaned on the desk that Harry was sitting on. 

"No, Harry. What I am talking about goes a lot deeper than that. I love you and I want to spend my life with you," Ron said while looking right into Harry's green, beautiful eyes. For the first time in Harry's life, he was speechless. Ron could see his last few words being digested by Harry's mind. “I think you know it too, only you're not letting yourself admit the truth," Ron continued. 

"What?" Harry said, trying to regain his thoughts. "Ron, look, there's no way that, that...I...I can't love you like that." Harry paused to try to explain the thoughts in his mind and bring them to his mouth. "For one thing it's just, just...” 

"Just what?" Ron asked hastily. 

"Just, you know...not right," Harry replied after trying to decide which way best to say it. 

"Oh come off it, Harry!" Ron said as he stormed from the desk Harry was sitting in, full of frustration. "I've seen the way you look at me. You don't think that I notice the way our eyes lock for a moment or a few seconds at times. Go ahead, tell me that you haven't noticed and felt that!" 

"Ron you’re crazy, you know that?" Harry protested while standing up trying to be of equal stature to Ron. "I have to admit that we've been the closest of friends over these past few years. You have been like a brother to me. You and your family have brought happiness and laughter into my life after the hell I had to endure at the Dursley's." Harry took in several deep breaths as he tried his best not to lose his temper with his best friend. "Whatever feelings you have felt for me, I am sure that they are true and genuine. However, Ron, I am sorry to say that I do not hold those same feelings for you." 

Ron's eyes blazed forth an unparalleled, blue fire within them. He stood there like a statue, boring a hole through Harry with his eyes. "Alright then, but I don't seem to remember you protesting this morning when I was holding you in bed," Ron said arrogantly. 

This lit a fire within Harry, as he demanded to know an answer to this question that he had pushed aside in his mind by the day’s events. "Yeah, and what exactly were you doing in my bed? Huh? I sure as hell don't remember sending you an engraved invitation to get into bed with me!" Harry said angrily. 

The two were now inches apart and both of them were about to lose what tiny bit of their tempers were not showing as of yet. Ron clenched his fist so tightly that he wanted to punch Harry so badly right now for being so stubborn. Instead, the red head backed away from Harry and turned to walk over to the window. Outside the morning, sunlight was beaming down upon the grounds, illuminating everything in a radiance of lush colors. He sighed and looked up at the ceiling to gather control of his thoughts and to allow his temper to settle somewhat. Finally, after what seemed like eternity, Ron spoke from his heart. 

"Bloody hell, Harry. I was there for you when no one else would be. I was there for you when no one would speak or have anything to do with you. It was me Harry, me, that has supported you through all your troubles in the past and with these dreams you’re having. Yes, I did get in your bed without your permission, but I’ve done it as a friend with the noblest of intentions at mind. Even though I can't see your dreams, I can see what damage they are doing to you. I saw your nightmare last night from this world and I knew that you needed a friend right then.” Ron walked back over to Harry before continuing  ”Harry, I've known that since I first invited you to my home during our summer vacation that I've always wanted to be with you and to hold you. Now, if you want to hold a grudge or be mad at me for invading your personal space when I could see that you needed comfort and love, then so be it; go ahead and do so." Ron walked back over to the window and looked out again at the morning's beauty. He glanced back at Harry with tears beginning to form in his eyes. "You've smashed one of my dreams today; do you care to kill off the other one?"

  
Ron was unable to hold back the flood of tears as they came forth. He sat down at one of the desk, his hand covering his face. Sobs of sorrow echoing throughout the room from him. Reluctantly, but feeling a heavy pain in his heart, Harry walked over to Ron and tried to place his hand on Ron's shoulder. 

"Ron," Harry started. "I...I ... I'm sorry. I didn't know that it all meant so much to you. I know it was difficult for you to talk about it, but honestly, Ron, I had no idea.” 

Ron shrugged a bit as he felt Harry's presence beside him, but never did look up at Harry. "Harry, just go, will you?" Ron said through heavy sobs. "If you want to go face _Him_ , then you had better be going now before McGonagall sees you sneaking out." 

Harry knew that tone in Ron's voice as to not try to challenge him at this moment. Harry's eyes were now looking down on the floor, as he knew that he has hurt his best friend very deeply. He turned to walk over to the door and just as he placed his hand on the knob, he spoke again, trying to be as apologetic as possible. 

"Ron...I'm sorry. I do hope that we can still be friends after this." 

Ron nodded in agreement as he wiped his tears away with the sleeve of his robe. 

"I do care for you, but there is no way that we could be ...lovers. Sorry, but you're just wrong on that thought." 

With that, Harry opened the door and left. Ron got up and walked over to the opened doorway. He could see Harry turning to go up the staircase that would lead him back to Gryffindor Tower. Ron spoke in a hoarse whisper. "No, mate, you're the one that's wrong and you know it. Somehow, I will prove it to you."

 


	8. Live and Let Die

**Chapter 8: Live and Let Die**

Dark, ominous clouds rolled through the sky blocking out the early, morning sun that had been shining outside. Inside Hogwarts Castle, the storm clouds were even darker for Ron. Upon seeing Harry leave after their argument, Ron was heartbroken… but not defeated. Quite a bit of time passed as Ron cleaned his face and mentally talks to himself, trying to focus his mind after the events of the morning so far. It had been the worst morning in quite some time, but Ron still knew that his main task still lay at hand; proving to Harry that what he said before he left the classroom was wrong. Ron exited the lavatory and caught a glimpse of Harry walking down the staircase that led to the Entrance Hall. He thought he saw Harry holding his invisibility cloak in his hand over something, but was unsure of it. Harry did not see Ron looking at him as he sped off the final last steps of the staircase, and through the Entrance Hall, all the while mumbling to himself. 

\------- 

"It's me, him, or neither of us! This has gone on for long enough!" The words rolled off Harry's lips as he walked out of the Entrance Hall and onto the grounds outside of Hogwarts Castle. The morning sun that was there earlier had vanished behind dark, grey clouds. A brisk wind slapped Harry's face as he walked quickly across the lawn and passed Hagrid's hut. Harry knew exactly where he had to go. He need not worry about being seen outside because all of the teachers were in the meeting with Professor McGonagall, and Dumbledore was gone to St. Mungo's. Harry's thoughts returned to the argument that had just taken place with Ron. 

'You know that you lied to Ron, don't you?' the voice came from inside his mind. 

"Yeah, I know,” Harry growled in response to his conscience for having this little conversation, at of all times, right now. 

'Why didn't you just tell him?' the voice asked. 'It's not that hard to tell someone the truth, is it?' 

"Well, I have a little too much going on right now to focus on any love life. In case you've forgotten to notice" Harry said in a sarcastic tone to himself. 

'You know that you love him, and have loved him for a very long time, but you've been too afraid to speak up. Imagine that, the great and famous Harry Potter is actually afraid of something.' Harry's inner conscience mocked at him. 

"Look, I'll tell him when I get back, okay!" Harry said as he snapped at his own voice. 

'What if you don't come back? It is hard to tell him that when you’re already dead, Harry. You’ve just lost your last, best chance to tell him," the voice said with the winning comment of their battle. 

Harry stopped as an icy, cold chill started in his stomach and spread through his body with unmerciful speed. He looked back at the castle and realized that his conscience was right. He knew that he had put on his best poker face, and had lied directly to his best friend's face. The truth does hurt. It sometimes hurts even more to say it. Harry had known for quite some time now that he was madly in love with Ron, and that he had just blew his best chance ever to tell him. He turned his gaze from the castle to the Forbidden Forest. His immediate future lay ahead of him hidden somewhere in this dark forest. Harry turned and began to enter the Forbidden Forest for the last time. 

"I'm sorry, Ron. I do wish I could have told you sooner. I love you, mate,” Harry whispered to himself. 

\------------- 

Ron came to a stop as he stepped out of sight when Harry turned and looked back at the castle. 

"Oh, Harry! You know I can't stand going into that place. Why do you have to go in there to meet You-Know-Who?" Ron groaned to himself. Something inside Ron told him that the Forbidden Forest was exactly where Harry was heading. "Just keep the cloak off so I can see where you're going." Ron peeked around the door and saw Harry looking into the forest now. A moment later Harry began to step inside the first row of trees inside the Forbidden Forest as Ron made his way down the steps to follow him.  
\---------- 

The path leading Harry inside the forest is very long and winding. Harry sees scorched lightning marks that have been burned into the bark of the trees that mark the way to the Dark Lord. All sense of time has been lost, as the path seemed to lead forever. Harry guesses that it is now sometime in the evening, but what few glimpses of the sky that Harry is able to see only reveals more grey, thick clouds. The forest always has been dark, but strangely enough, the forest is not as dark as it usually is. It is very weird, almost as if a force within the forest is controlling it. Harry can see everything around him without the assistance of a lantern or his wand. Also ironically weird is the lack of sound. Usually the Forbidden Forest is full of sounds from all the different animals that call the forest home, yet today there is no sound; only the sound of Harry's footsteps walking on the ground. This baffles Harry for a bit, but eventually he knew whom and what is responsible for all of this; and where it would finally lead. He was being shown the way to his final confrontation with no obstacles in his path. It was ironic to Harry that the Forbidden Forest was a fitting place for his and Voldemort's beginning of the end. Only too true had it been the first place that Harry had seen Voldemort for the first time while being a first year student at Hogwarts, and now it may very well be the last place that Harry would see the Dark Lord. 

He walked deeper into the forest as the path widened a bit. Harry could see that a very large, dead tree had fallen across the path. There was a small space under the tree, as it had not fallen completely down yet, that Harry could duck under and continue. Once Harry had surveyed this scene in front of him and was about to go under the tree, he heard a very familiar hissing sound. Harry backed up a few steps and looked up into the yellow eyes of Nagini. 

The snake was already coiled and prepared to strike. She hissed vehemently at Harry as the young wizard slowly took a few more steps back to place some distance between him and Nagini. "I wondered when I might run into you again," Harry began. "Something told me to be prepared for you. Now I’m glad that I listened." The serpent gleamed its dagger-like yellow eyes at Harry and opened her mouth to hiss again. Harry remembered all too well from his dreams the sharp rows of teeth and fangs that the snake possessed. "Remember that surprise I told you about, well, here it is!" Harry said as he pulled the invisibility cloak off and revealed the Sword of Gryffindor. The sight of this enrages Nagini as she hisses louder at Harry. Quickly she lunges her coiled self at Harry, but misses him. Harry, anticipating this attack, swings the sword with all of his might, but misses the snake in midair. Due to the power of his swing and miss, Harry trips over a large root that was behind him and falls over thus causing him to drop the Sword of Gryffindor. Nagini, seeing Harry's mistake and sensing the time to kill him for her master is now, grabs the sword from the ground with her enormous tail and holds it above Harry's stunned body. She makes eye contact with Harry and then looks up at the hoisted sword. Harry reacts quickly before the blade of the sword can be brought down into his body, grabs his wand and points it at Nagini. 

" _Alarte Ascendare_!" Harry shouts as a flash of light zips from his wand and hits the huge snake. Nagini is thrown high into the air and loses the grip on the sword in midair. She crashes back to the ground in a massive heap. Her demonic, yellow eyes lock onto Harry for just a fraction of a second before the sword falls out of the air and impales itself through the massive tail of the snake and into the ground. Nagini hisses and writhing in pain, tries to desperately free herself from the impact of the sword. Harry, seeing that this is his opportunity spots a huge rock off to the side of the path, and points his wand at it. 

" _Wingardium Leviosa_!" Harry shouts as the huge rock floats up into the air and hovers above the large snake. The snake hisses as she sees what is about to happen to her. Harry points his wand down toward Nagini as the huge rock falls down with a tremendous force and impact on the serpent; crushing and breaking Nagini's spine. Harry walks around to the front of the snake and is amazed to see that she is still alive. Even more to his amazement is to see that Nagini is trying to wrench and twist her way free. The snake looks up into Harry's eyes as Harry sees fear, panic, and death etched across the face of Nagini. 

"Valiant to the last, are we, Nagini?" 

A part of Harry was thoroughly enjoying seeing the pain and torture that the snake was going through at this very moment. "Now you see how it all feels, don't you?" The snake made one more attempt to attack Harry, but could not move anymore. "Here's your surprise, my precious!" Harry said as he brought his wand directly above the snake with a slight, evil grin upon his face. " _Vipera Evanesca."_ Harry calmly said. The snake immediately disintegrates into small bits of fire. Harry brushes himself off and looks down at his handiwork. "Well, I guess Lockhart and Snape were both good for something, after all." Harry spoke out, but firmly unaware that no one else is close by to hear his words. He ducks under the tree and continues walking along the path. "Ok, now it's your turn, Voldemort."  
\------- 

Harry continued on walking down the path, unbeknownst that Ron had made it to the battle scene where he saw the Sword of Gryffindor standing straight up out of the ground. He walked over to the sword and surveyed the whole scene. Ron saw Harry's invisibility cloak lying on the ground near the sword. He picked it up and tucked it under his arm. A worried look came across Ron's face, but he knew that Harry was still alive. He walked on past the tree quickly, not wanting to fall too far behind. Meanwhile, the path that Harry is following has finally ended. In front of Harry lies a large circular clearing lined by the trees of the forest. Harry looks up and is surprised to see a clear sky and pale, full moon that has an evil, death-colored tint of blood-orange to it. Harry's green eyes come down from the sight of the moon and back to the circular clearing. What he sees at the opposite side of the clearing sends an icy chill through him. Standing there at the edge of the shadows is his one, true nemesis. 

"Harry Potter," hisses a voice as a tall frame walks across the shadow and into the pale moonlight. "My, how I have waited for this moment." 

"Oh yeah, I've been waiting too." Harry said smirking. "Oh, by the way, your little pet won't be joining us anytime soon." 

Voldemort stared down at Harry while a rage coursed thru him. "I see. You do have a nasty habit of spoiling my plans, Potter!" 

"Ha! We aim to please," Harry said, trying to test the nerve of the Dark Lord. 

"Well then as you can see it is just you and I. I assure you there are no Death Eaters lurking about in the shadows. Just like there is no Dumbledore, or any of you friends, to save the day for you." Harry winced at this thought of facing Voldemort again, by himself. "So tell me, Harry, have you thought about this moment? Have you thought of what it would be like to duel with the greatest living wizard, again? I tell you, Harry, our paths have crossed too many times and tonight it will meet for the final time." 

"Albus Dumbledore is-" Harry started. 

"Silence!" Voldemort hissed at the Gryffindor. "You will not speak that name in my presence!" The dark wizard walked right over to Harry and looked down into Harry's green eyes that were alive with hatred towards the Dark Lord. Slowly and more calmly Voldemort spoke. "Tell me, have you given any thought about your dead parents, Harry? Have you thought about how you will finally be joining them ever so shortly?" Harry's hand tightened its grip on his wand that was still in his robe. His eyes were still locked on Voldemort. "You are so much like your parents, Harry. You always have to learn things the hard way." Voldemort chuckled a raspy chuckle. "They too learned what happens when you cross my path. They chose to learn the hard way." 

With this, Harry’s nostrils flared and his hand tightened yet even more on his wand. Sweat was starting to trickle across his brow, as he remained locked upon Voldemort. The Dark Lord, sensing the tension within Harry, comes within inches of Harry’s face; eye to eye. “Ah, youth, such a pity. The thirst for vengeance drives the anger, but can never soothe the soul.” Voldemort backed away and turned his back to Harry while raising his arms up to the sky. “Come, Potter, do what your dead parents could not do.” The dark wizard turns back around to face Harry again. “Fight me, Harry! A clash of titans, a duel to the death!” 

The wind, which had been calm, started to pick up in intensity and the clear sky started to have dark clouds forming overhead. Off in the distance a low rumble of thunder could be heard. Ron had finally come to the clearing and stayed back in the shadows of the trees. What he saw before him scared him absolutely to death. Slowly, he crouched down behind a tree and slipped the invisibility cloak over him as to not be seen by Harry or Voldemort. 

The Dark Lord backed away from Harry as he waved his wand in midair. Quickly a transparent image appeared before them. For the first time ever, Harry was witnessing the murder of his parents within the wispy image. “You see, Harry, I so enjoyed killing your mother and father.” Voldemort said smugly. Harry’s anger boiled into an almost uncontrollable rage. “The way that they both died will be nothing as compared to how I will kill you. It will be painful; oh yes indeed, very painful. You will plead for me to stop, and beg me for mercy when the pain is at its worse. My name will be the last words that pass your lips with your last, dying breath.” 

Harry’s body shook with anger. “Never!” Harry shouted as he quickly pointed his wand and unleashed a spell at the Dark Lord. Casually, Voldemort blocked it with the flick of his wand and laughed his raspy laugh again. 

“Harry, Harry, Harry. Surely the great Harry Potter can conjure up something better than that.” Again, feeling insulted, Harry fired off another spell. Once more, it was calmly blocked. “Getting better, but still a long way to go. Didn’t you learn anything from Dumbledore?” Voldemort said, insulting Harry even more. 

Before Harry could reply with another spell, Voldemort blasted the Gryffindor with a spell of his own that sent Harry flying backwards. A bit stunned, but more angered, Harry scrambled to his feet and pointed his wand at the Dark Lord. 

“ _Levicorpus_!” 

This caught the Dark Lord off-guard as he was momentarily hoisted into the air by his feet. This angered and embarrassed him as he broke the spell. Voldemort crashed to the ground and fired a hex at Harry, but Harry quickly ducked behind a large rock that was nearby. 

“Get out here, Potter! You cannot hide forever!” Voldemort hissed angrily. 

Harry was breathing heavily with adrenaline running through his veins. He tried to think of what to do next. His mind was a blur of a thousand ideas all happening at once. Finally, he decided to try to make it back into the forest, and take his chances of fighting Voldemort in there. Perhaps he could lose him somehow within the undergrowth. Harry saw that there was no way that he could win a one-on-one battle against Voldemort. 

“ _Stupefy_!” Harry shouted as he ran for the nearest tree. A few feet more and he would have made it to the shadows of the forest, but the dark wizard had seen him running and had stunned Harry with a powerful hex. Now every muscle in Harry’s body felt stiff as a board as the Dark Lord slowly walked towards him. 

“Kneel!” The pain instantly ravaged Harry’s body as he was forced to kneel down by Voldemort’s hex. Harry struggled to look up as Voldemort stood over him. “Now rise, Potter.” The Gryffindor felt his body rising up to look Voldemort solemnly in the face. “Do you like that, Harry? How does it feel to rise and bow before me?” Voldemort hissed as a slight, wicked smile snaked its way across his face. The Dark Lord could see Harry’s bright, green eyes ablaze with anger, but also a slight look of concern as well as the agony of pain. “Ah, good. Very good, Harry. I can smell the fear on your breath and see the panic in your eyes.” A loud crack of lightning flashed overhead and silhouetted them against the Forbidden Forest. Neither of them saw Ron crouched behind the tree and observing all of this horrific battle. 

“Have we not heard the chimes before midnight, Harry?” Harry struggled to give Voldemort any acknowledgement. “Now, before you die I want you to think long and hard about how your parents struggled to save you. I shall enjoy this so much.” Voldemort said as he raised his wand over his head. 

“ _Expelleriamu_ s!” Harry shouted as a bright, white light exploded between the two and blew them apart from one another. 

“Oh, you will pay for that foolishness, Potter!” Voldemort hissed very angrily. Harry was crawling backwards desperately trying to get to the forest. “ _Avada Kedavra!”_ Voldemort shouted as he pointed his wand at a frantic Harry. The Dark Lord’s aim was off just a bit as the curse missed Harry by inches. Harry leaped to his feet. 

“ _Avada Kedavra_!” Harry shouted as the curse shot from his wand and just missed the Dark Lord by inches. 

“Goodbye ... Harry... Potter.” Voldemort hissed. “ _Avada Kedavra!”_ The spell hit Harry right in the chest as the young wizard was propelled backwards. Harry’s prone body hit the ground as Ron burst into the open shouting at Voldemort. 

“No! You bloody bastard!” 

Voldemort turned his steely eyes from Harry’s body to Ron. “Ah, the game’s afoot.” The Dark Lord said while laughing. 

Ron drew forth his wand and mouthed an incantation to a spell when a thunderous lightning bolt sizzled a few feet over his head. Instantly, Ron hit the ground face first, and looked up to see both the lightning bolt and his spell hit Voldemort simultaneously in the chest. For a few moments, it looked as if the Dark Lord was being electrocuted. He was arched back and his hands were in midair and clenched tightly. Muffled sounds of great pain came from Voldemort. Then a cloud of smoke engulfed the place where the dark wizard was standing thus preventing Ron from being able to see anything. Through the smoke, Ron heard a horrifying sound of laughter, and then he saw the red, glaring eyes peering at him through the dense smoke. Slowly, the rest of Voldemort’s frame came into view as the smoke dissipated. Ron could not believe what he just witnessed. The Dark Lord was still alive! 

“Oh no!” Ron whispered to himself. 

“Foolish boy, do you actually think that some cheap, magic trick can defeat me?” Voldemort began to raise his wand in the air. “ _Avada…_ ” The Dark Lord froze and looked at his hand that held his wand. It was glowing a deep reddish orange color. Quickly, he looked at his other hand and saw that it too was doing the same. Instantly, hot, searing pain flowed through Voldemort’s body. “What form of magic is this?” Voldemort shrieked in shock. Flames of fire started appearing through every orifice of the Dark Lord’s body. 

Ron stood up and directed a cold stare through his blue eyes at Voldemort. “It’s not magic, it’s love. “ Ron was the only person to witness the last few seconds of Voldemort’s life. Flames shot higher as the dark wizard became a burning inferno of dark powers. He stood and screamed in agony as the fire intensified. 

“Aggggghhhhhhhhhhh, noo-nooooooooooooooo!” 

Ron quickly leapt on top of Harry seconds before a loud and fierce explosion rocked the whole Forbidden Forest. Ron looked back over his shoulder and saw what was left of the once, powerful Dark Lord. A few bits of burning and smoldering ash floated down to the ground. “Hmph. Ashes to ashes, you bloody git!” Ron said with a touch of cool, steeliness in his voice. 

He turned his attention to Harry who was not moving or breathing. “Oh, Harry! Please don’t go. I can’t live my life without you!” Ron’s face was stained with tears as he cradled Harry’s limp torso into his arms. Ron’s tears became sobs and cries for Harry to stay with him. He stroked his hand through Harry’s hair, and rocked him back and forth in his arms, begging him not to leave him. “I love you more than anything in this world. Please, Harry….” Ron’s voice broke as he tried to talk through his sobs. Through the crying and sobbing, Ron heard a very faint sound. He looked down into Harry’s face and saw that Harry was trying to whisper something. His eyes were barely able to open, but what Harry could see was Ron shining in the moonlight looking down and crying his heart out for him. He knew that his love looked so beautiful at that moment. Harry tried to force a weak smile and whispered to Ron, “I know Ron, I love you too” before blackness took Harry away. Ron was a bit awestruck by this. He immediately got to his feet and proceeded to carry Harry away from this place in his arms. “Don’t worry mate, just stay with me.” Ron kept speaking to Harry as he walked on. 

Time slowly passed by as Ron made his way out of the Forbidden Forest with Harry. It was a slow process as Ron stopped a few times to rest and to check on Harry. The young wizard was still unconscious, and was breathing very weakly. He knew that time was crucial here as he was unsure how much damage had been done by the powerful curse. Ron understood that it was a miracle that Harry was still alive, and he was not about to die in his arms. Finally, sometime later, a light became visible at the edge of the dark forest. Ron walked out into the light and saw that Albus Dumbledore stood at the front of Hogwarts Castle, flanked by Professor McGonagall and what looked to be two Healers. He looked up and saw looming above the castle was a crimson and violet sky. 

“Red dawn,” Ron said and walked towards the castle with his lover in his arms.

 


	9. A New Life

**Chapter 9: A New Life**

_‘I often wonder what things would be like today had Harry been killed and Voldemort somehow survived? Would there still be a war going on? Would the members of the Order of the Phoenix be alive or dead? Would He-Who-Must, ugh…. stupid Ron, would Voldemort actually rule the wizarding world today?’_

A dull feeling ran through Ron’s heart as the thoughts of life after Harry’s death numbed him to the bone. Ron’s spine could feel a cold chill go up his spine as he looked at the waves of the ocean. The air was now warm and a bright sun beat down upon the coastline of East Wittering. He looked up the sky, and saw that the crimson and violet colors had been replaced with a yellow sun, and a clear, blue sky. 

‘Bloody hell! How lucky we all are to be alive. That day really did change all of us forever. Fate really did shine upon us all that day. It still scares the living hell out of me to know how close we actually came to losing it all.’ 

Ron felt a warm hand on his shoulder and an arm wrap itself around his waist. 

“Good morning,” the unmistakable voice came from his shoulder. 

“Morning, love!” Ron replied to him. Harry had placed his chin on Ron’s broad shoulder while embracing him in a loving hug. Harry planted a kiss on Ron’s neck while giggling a bit, tickling his lover. 

“How long have you been awake?” Harry asked. 

“I’ve been up for a little while. I couldn’t sleep and didn’t want to wake you,” Ron said back to him while keeping his gaze onto the distant waves. 

“Hey, what are you thinking about?” Harry asked, concerned for Ron. 

“Oh, nothing really. Just been thinking a bit about the past.” 

“Ron, let it all go. It’ll do you no good thinking about all of that.” 

“I know, love. I have just been sitting here looking at the waves and the sky, having a cup of coffee, and thinking about the reflections. The reflections of our lives” Ron turned his head so that their lips met for a loving kiss. Both of them then laughed a bit and they both sighed while holding one another so close.

“Well, honestly I’ve had a few thoughts of the past too,” Harry said, his statement surprising Ron a bit. The red head took in a deep breath while Harry walked around in front of Ron, looking into his soul mate’s gorgeous blue eyes. “Ron, how did Voldemort die, and what exactly happened after that? No one has really told me what happened, but a part of me has always wanted avoid asking that question, well, until today.” 

“I’ll tell you all that I know, Harry, just have a seat,” Ron started as he patted the seat next to him for Harry to sit in. Harry sat down and stretched a hand out to hold Ron’s hand in his. Ron looked down as their hands entwined and held each other so close in a loving grip. Ron slowly started his long tale to tell. “He almost killed you, Harry. I did not think that you would want to hear about it, and besides, Dumbledore asked me not to tell you unless you asked. You see, when I emerged from the edge of the Forbidden Forest, Dumbledore was waiting for me there right outside of Hogwarts Castle. He had also summoned two Healers from St. Mungo’s to be there at the castle immediately. 

“Yeah, but how did Dumbledore know? He was at St. Mungo’s dealing with the attack on your mum when it all happened.” 

“I know, Harry, but while you were being tended to in the hospital wing by the Healers, Dumbledore pulled me aside and explained it all to me.” Ron took a deep breath and looked deeply into Harry’s bright, green eyes. “Harry, after our argument I followed you into the Forbidden Forest.” 

“Hang on. You, Ron Weasley, actually went into the Forbidden Forest by yourself? You’re terrified of that place.” 

“Yeah, I know. It’s not my favorite place to be.” 

“Why did you do it?” Harry said as he pressed his lips to Ron’s hand. 

“I done it because I loved you, Harry, and I wanted to prove that to you after our argument.” 

“Wow, I am impressed Ron, really I am.” Harry said as Ron laughed a slight bit at the thought of this memory. “Go ahead, love.”

“I followed the path that had the lightning marks on the trees. Finally, I saw the Sword of Gryffindor sticking out of the ground. I knew something had happened, but I did not see any sign of you there. The only thing that I did find was your invisibility cloak and the sword,” Ron explained as the thoughts of that night filled his mind once again. 

“That was where Nagini attacked me, and I was able to trap her and kill her,” Harry said as he relived the skirmish in his mind. 

“Wicked!” Ron said in amazement. “You killed Nagini, that huge snake!” 

“Yeah,” Harry answered Ron’s excitement before his thoughts brought him to the question he dreaded asking Ron. “So, how much did you see of me and Voldemort?” 

“Well, when I got to the clearing, You-Know-Who--” Ron started, but Harry gave Ron a look of disdain as he still refused to say Voldemort’s name. “-- I mean, Vold…oh Vo…lde….mort…” Ron said, finally completing the name with difficulty and astonishment in hearing the name come from his own mouth. 

“See, it’s not that difficult to say,” Harry said while smiling at Ron a bit sarcastically. 

“Easy for you to say.” Ron answered back at Harry with the same sarcastic smile. “Anyway, I got there and saw him, waving his wand around. That’s when I saw your parents being killed in that image that he created with his wand. I’m so sorry, Harry, I never knew it was ever that bad to see them like that until then. He kept trying to get you to fight him by hurling insults about your mum and dad. Finally, I could see that you had had enough of it and you started to fight him. I wanted to help you, but I was so scared, Harry.” 

“I know, Ron, I know,” Harry replied while placing his arm around Ron’s shoulders and comforting him. 

“I saw him torture you, Harry and you somehow broke the curse, but he fired the killing curse at you. Thankfully, it missed you. Then I saw you fire the curse back at him and barely miss him.” Tears started to form in Ron’s eyes as the thought of what happened next flashed into his mind. Ron buried his head into Harry’s shoulder, as the memory was too harsh and painful for him to talk about. “I thought you were dead.” 

“Shh... it’s okay Ron, I know it’s difficult,” Harry said as he raised Ron’s head up from his shoulder and held Ron’s face with his hands. Harry wiped away the tears with his thumb and gently kissed Ron. Once their loving kiss was over Ron was able to continue with his story. 

“I’m okay now. Thanks, love,” Ron said as he held Harry’s hand in his. 

“You know you don’t have to continue if you…” Harry started, but was stopped by Ron placing his finger lightly over Harry’s lips. 

“No, it’s alright now, I’m okay. Really, Harry, I’m fine now.” Harry ran his hand through Ron’s ginger hair and smiled even more at his love. “After I saw you on the ground, I just jumped out from behind the rock and trees. I…I could not think of anything except for how much I loved you. When I saw you get hit with the curse I just felt my heart cringe and I wanted to kill him for hurting you. I ran out there, yelled at him as if that would do any good, but the only thing I could think of was the spell of love that we learned in the Standard Book of Spells. Strange isn’t it? I also remembered Dumbledore saying something about the one potential weakness that he might have would be through the power of love.” Ron paused for a moment and looked at Harry. “It’s really weird, I had my wand pointed at him and had the words in my head, but I’ve never done magic without saying the words.” 

Harry studied these thoughts for a moment then asked, “Really?” 

“Yeah. Then I felt a lightning bolt come right over my head and hit him at the same time that my spell hit him.” Harry looked at Ron in sheer amazement. “It was all smoky for a few moments, but he emerged through the smoke and was about to use the killing curse on me before he suddenly burst into flames. It was an awful sight, Harry, but a part of me was really enjoying watching him scream in pain and suffering. Then he exploded into a fireball and was gone; well, except for a few ashes that fell back down to the ground.” Ron stopped for a moment to read Harry’s face as the news of how Voldemort was destroyed sank into him. “Harry, it was Dumbledore that had sent the bolt of lightning down into Voldemort. He was flying back to Hogwarts on a thestral when he saw what was happening in the middle of the Forbidden Forest. He was too late to come to your aid, but he sent the lightning spell just in time as I hit him with my love spell; the combination of the two apparently destroyed Voldemort for good. He then landed at Hogwarts and sent an urgent owl to St. Mungo’s for the Healers to come quickly. They were waiting on me as I came out of the forest with you.” Harry tried to speak, but was speechless. Ron continued on to finish the story. 

“They tried everything that they knew to try and treat you. We were all amazed that you were still alive, barely, yes, but at least alive. We had to wait and see if you would survive as you slipped into a deep sleep for several days. Dumbledore said that we had to believe in each other and to keep our love for one another. Harry, I truly believe that it was our love for each other that pulled you through. When you awoke I was right there beside you and very much relieved that you were awake again. Dumbledore stepped in for a moment as Madame Pomfrey tended to you and explained that because of our strong and pure love for one another, that the Avada Kedavra curse somehow did not kill you. It didn’t kill you when you were a baby, and it didn’t kill you now either. It’s the scar, Harry. Your scar is a symbol that you are the only person that cannot die from the Avada Kedavra curse. The love from your mum and dad saved you when you were a baby and now, this time, our love for each other saved you. It’s really a bit difficult to explain as Dumbledore told me.” 

“No, not really, Ron. It’s quite simple really,” Harry said. “Fate was meant for us to be together, love. I wasn’t meant to die by the hand of Voldemort. I was meant to spend my life with you.” 

With that, Harry held Ron close to him in a lover’s embrace and passionately kissed him in the bright sunlight of a new day’s dawn.

 


End file.
